What Might Have Been...
You can tell it's European week when we have Barry Ferguson quoted in the Scottish press today saying that Rangers can win the UEFA Cup. What a level of expectation he has set for his team's fans and for others like me who might not be as convinced.
Still, Gers do have the momentum from Celtic's mighty efforts on Wednesday night against an inform Manchester Utd. We played brilliantly against the team at the top of the best league in the world, who also had the return of the best player in the world, Wayne Rooney.
According to those who make up the stories for the tabloids which people mysteriously buy, Celtic would be gutted like a fish by the Old Trafford team. The expectation was that this annihilation would match the horrors which were expected when we twice went to the Nou Camp in recent years.
What actually happened was Celtic played brilliantly, at a level which has seen us now bag 6 CL goals in our last two games. We were playing so well that it took dodgy refereeing decisions, cheating by Man Utd players, and incredible bad luck to send us home with a 3-2 defeat.
There's always a dodgy penalty incident when we lose 3-2 to our supposed masters in the Champions League. We've been there when Juventus were given a crazy penalty and we've been there when Lyon were given a crazy penalty.
It's the usual story and last night it was a shameful situation where Ryan Giggs, of all players, cheated by diving as though he had been hauled down. There was a slight touch but not anything to send the Welsh cheat to ground.
But these incidents can't take away from what a superb performance Celtic gave. It's like rolling back the years to how superb we were during the MON era in Europe. Not feeling inferior to our supposed betters is what it was all about and Gordon Strachan should be thoroughly congratulated for the effort he got from the tean.
I've been one of his fiercest critics but saw something was changing in the wee man during the close season and finally he has arrived as the Celtic manager to help us rebuild our reputation amongst Europe's Elite.
So it's on to play our pals Benfica and Copenhagen in the next 2 games in Paradise. Six points after 3 games will do me.
So onto the lesser Scottish teams playing in Europe's lesser tournament. Hearts were unlucky in the CL qualifiers to get gubbed 3-0 by their anonymous Greek opponents. Getting 2 players sent off didn't help preparations for facing Sparta Prague in the UEFA Cup. They didn't let us down by crashing 0-2 and not even making the bizarre group stage of the UEFA Cup.
If there's one waste of time it has to be a group stage where you only play your opponent once. So you might play a wee team away and a big team at home, but not vice versa. How stupid is that, UEFA?
Anyway, before the Ibrox team had to be concerned with that, they needed to brush aside a team which were languishing at the bottom of the Norwegian League before last weekend.
There are no dud teams in Europe anymore. Just ask Paris St Germain. Held 0-0 against a so-called dud team called Derry City. Try asking F.C. Molde who were held 0-0 by a so-called dud team from Scotland.
You know, leaving your best player on the bench (Prso) shows a complete disrespect to you opponents. Rangers have basically taken the piss out of the Norwegian team and it's backfired.
You won't find them being so daft in their home leg as I expect we will finally see Super Striker Boyd end his goal drought by firing Gers into the glory of the UEFA Cup group stages.
As for Hearts, how crap are they?
Still, Gers do have the momentum from Celtic's mighty efforts on Wednesday night against an inform Manchester Utd. We played brilliantly against the team at the top of the best league in the world, who also had the return of the best player in the world, Wayne Rooney.
According to those who make up the stories for the tabloids which people mysteriously buy, Celtic would be gutted like a fish by the Old Trafford team. The expectation was that this annihilation would match the horrors which were expected when we twice went to the Nou Camp in recent years.
What actually happened was Celtic played brilliantly, at a level which has seen us now bag 6 CL goals in our last two games. We were playing so well that it took dodgy refereeing decisions, cheating by Man Utd players, and incredible bad luck to send us home with a 3-2 defeat.
There's always a dodgy penalty incident when we lose 3-2 to our supposed masters in the Champions League. We've been there when Juventus were given a crazy penalty and we've been there when Lyon were given a crazy penalty.
It's the usual story and last night it was a shameful situation where Ryan Giggs, of all players, cheated by diving as though he had been hauled down. There was a slight touch but not anything to send the Welsh cheat to ground.
But these incidents can't take away from what a superb performance Celtic gave. It's like rolling back the years to how superb we were during the MON era in Europe. Not feeling inferior to our supposed betters is what it was all about and Gordon Strachan should be thoroughly congratulated for the effort he got from the tean.
I've been one of his fiercest critics but saw something was changing in the wee man during the close season and finally he has arrived as the Celtic manager to help us rebuild our reputation amongst Europe's Elite.
So it's on to play our pals Benfica and Copenhagen in the next 2 games in Paradise. Six points after 3 games will do me.
So onto the lesser Scottish teams playing in Europe's lesser tournament. Hearts were unlucky in the CL qualifiers to get gubbed 3-0 by their anonymous Greek opponents. Getting 2 players sent off didn't help preparations for facing Sparta Prague in the UEFA Cup. They didn't let us down by crashing 0-2 and not even making the bizarre group stage of the UEFA Cup.
If there's one waste of time it has to be a group stage where you only play your opponent once. So you might play a wee team away and a big team at home, but not vice versa. How stupid is that, UEFA?
Anyway, before the Ibrox team had to be concerned with that, they needed to brush aside a team which were languishing at the bottom of the Norwegian League before last weekend.
There are no dud teams in Europe anymore. Just ask Paris St Germain. Held 0-0 against a so-called dud team called Derry City. Try asking F.C. Molde who were held 0-0 by a so-called dud team from Scotland.
You know, leaving your best player on the bench (Prso) shows a complete disrespect to you opponents. Rangers have basically taken the piss out of the Norwegian team and it's backfired.
You won't find them being so daft in their home leg as I expect we will finally see Super Striker Boyd end his goal drought by firing Gers into the glory of the UEFA Cup group stages.
As for Hearts, how crap are they?
posted by big tommy at
5:20 PM
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