League and Uefa Cup Double
It has been an interesting period for Rangers recently. First was a tricky domestic fixture away to Hibernian in Edinburgh on Sunday, then a Uefa Cup tie at Ibrox against Spanish outfit Osasuna.
Beginning with Sunday’s performance, it was clear that this match was a particularly significant one in terms of judging the progress of the new management team. The last meeting between these sides at Easter Road saw the Hibees over-run the men from Govan. Indeed, the opening half saw Rangers swamped by the home team, and put simply, get outplayed. A late goal from Sebo made the final score-line deceive by portraying the game as closer than it was.
Then-manager Paul Le Guen had no answers for the abysmal showing, and Sunday’s fixture would go some way to showing how far Smith had come since replacing the Frenchman.
In answer, the final 2-0 score-line might have been as a consequence of a pretty shoddy lot of goalkeeping from Hibs’ Simon Brown, but the performance from Rangers was considerably better than the previous encounter. Sure, it was not pretty, flowing and sharp, but it was professional, disciplined and organised and the spine of the side seemed strong. Let us not forget how tricky a location Easter Road is to play at; they are known for their fast attacking football which can decimate sides with perplexing ease. Rangers, however, were able to tame the threat completely and control it. Six matches in a row unbeaten now in the SPL since Smith came in.
Fast-forward four days to the Uefa Cup first leg against the Spanish mid-table side Osasuna. Hope was high that Rangers could keep their good run going and gain an advantage to take to the second leg.
Regrettably however the performance was among the worst the fans have witnessed in Europe this season.
On a wet night in Govan, it was the Spaniards who controlled the lion’s share of the match thanks to Rangers looking lethargic, spineless, and directionless. The entire performance from them was extremely poor, with a criminal lack of motion all round – the off-ball movement was extremely lacking, with players expecting the ball to do the work for them. Further to that were too many poor performances from players like Ferguson, Boyd and Ehiogu, not to mention Burke; add in Smith’s negative tactics and questionable formation and it was a recipe for disappointment.
It finished 1-1 thanks to the solid Hemdani with a goal in the last couple of minutes, but really Osasuna have only their poor finishing and a fine display of shot-stopping from Klos (in for the suspended McGregor) to thank for not sewing this tie up in the first leg.
Progress is on a knife edge now – the fans have to hope the side bucks up its ideas and plays like its life depends on the away leg.
McGregor will be back for that game after his suspension was reduced to one game, so Klos will presumably return to the bench despite his heroics.
Now it is just the little matter of Celtic on Sunday…
Beginning with Sunday’s performance, it was clear that this match was a particularly significant one in terms of judging the progress of the new management team. The last meeting between these sides at Easter Road saw the Hibees over-run the men from Govan. Indeed, the opening half saw Rangers swamped by the home team, and put simply, get outplayed. A late goal from Sebo made the final score-line deceive by portraying the game as closer than it was.
Then-manager Paul Le Guen had no answers for the abysmal showing, and Sunday’s fixture would go some way to showing how far Smith had come since replacing the Frenchman.
In answer, the final 2-0 score-line might have been as a consequence of a pretty shoddy lot of goalkeeping from Hibs’ Simon Brown, but the performance from Rangers was considerably better than the previous encounter. Sure, it was not pretty, flowing and sharp, but it was professional, disciplined and organised and the spine of the side seemed strong. Let us not forget how tricky a location Easter Road is to play at; they are known for their fast attacking football which can decimate sides with perplexing ease. Rangers, however, were able to tame the threat completely and control it. Six matches in a row unbeaten now in the SPL since Smith came in.
Fast-forward four days to the Uefa Cup first leg against the Spanish mid-table side Osasuna. Hope was high that Rangers could keep their good run going and gain an advantage to take to the second leg.
Regrettably however the performance was among the worst the fans have witnessed in Europe this season.
On a wet night in Govan, it was the Spaniards who controlled the lion’s share of the match thanks to Rangers looking lethargic, spineless, and directionless. The entire performance from them was extremely poor, with a criminal lack of motion all round – the off-ball movement was extremely lacking, with players expecting the ball to do the work for them. Further to that were too many poor performances from players like Ferguson, Boyd and Ehiogu, not to mention Burke; add in Smith’s negative tactics and questionable formation and it was a recipe for disappointment.
It finished 1-1 thanks to the solid Hemdani with a goal in the last couple of minutes, but really Osasuna have only their poor finishing and a fine display of shot-stopping from Klos (in for the suspended McGregor) to thank for not sewing this tie up in the first leg.
Progress is on a knife edge now – the fans have to hope the side bucks up its ideas and plays like its life depends on the away leg.
McGregor will be back for that game after his suspension was reduced to one game, so Klos will presumably return to the bench despite his heroics.
Now it is just the little matter of Celtic on Sunday…
posted by RangersMedia @ 4:10 PM
