20 Jul 2025 13:07:30
We have a good squad of players made up mostly from last year's europa league run and in the fact that this is a very poor pana team a don't think this tie should be any real problem in fact a would be a little disappointed if we don't get a result over there as well as ibrox we have a good squad of players with a lot of European experience a don't really understand the negativity.
20 Jul 2025 13:54:28
It's based on the fact they have a very settled team and we are yet to play any competitive matches with our new coaching staff who I might be wrong but do t think the e played a single game in Europe before, who probably won't know his best formation or starting 11 for several months from now.
For me, that's where the lack of confidence comes from but would be delighted to be wrong and qualify for the CL.
20 Jul 2025 13:55:13
Very poor team? I'm not quite sure I would agree with you, even a settled team and manager etc a CL qualifier is never easy far less our situation just now, Greece is always a very tough place to go and add in the heat, I really hope you are right but I don't for one minute expect an easy ride, this . ob have got some decent and dangerous players.
20 Jul 2025 14:00:01
Think the starting 11 will be,
Butland
Aarons Tav Souttar Jefte
Raskin
Rothwell Dio
Dowell Danilo Cortes
Which I think defensively will be too weak. Think Ionidis if playing will bully the back 4….
20 Jul 2025 14:11:51
Said the same last season against kyiv, truth is these qualifying games come too quick for scottish teams and every season we get caught out.
20 Jul 2025 14:18:22
Zikos the back 4 will be tav souttar djiga aarons sure we've lined up like that start last 2 games. Honestly don't see that changing.
20 Jul 2025 14:27:55
So far Martin seems to have an interesting set up.
Rothwell and Barron have very much been traditional 6's.
On the right he seems to favour Tav and gives him license to overlap and uses Dowell to drift inside to add numbers to the middle.
Whereas on the left he uses Aaron's, who drifts in to the middle and leaves the left hand side to a left footer - young Curtis has been filling this role.
It's been difficult for the players to adapt, but it seems to be starting to click.
20 Jul 2025 14:29:54
Kip
Cmon, we're not exactly non starters but we as a group never as yet played game in earnest as of yet. Getting mixed revues on how good/ bad/ indifferent Pana are but we can only live in hope.
20 Jul 2025 14:52:26
Tav doesn't have the legs to have a license for overlapping anymore. Frustrates the life out me we've signed a rb and we move him out left at the expense of a promising talent in Jefte. All to accomodate Tav instead of growing a pair and playing aarons in his natural position. Hope i'm wrong but this seems just another manager making same mistakes from the off.
20 Jul 2025 14:54:19
Still think Ionidis bullies that back 4.
20 Jul 2025 15:30:43
Seems strange Dado to have 3 left backs now but still appears Aarons likely to play there instead. Still early days so wait and see what happens.
20 Jul 2025 15:31:19
Big lad is like the Greek Simon Murray!
20 Jul 2025 15:32:49
I think our starting 11 for tuesday night will be
Butland
Tav
Souttar
Djiga
Aarons
Rothwell
Raskin
Diomande
Dowell
Danilo
Cortes/ Bajrami ???.
20 Jul 2025 15:59:00
Leaves it to a left footer? What left footed wingers do we have? Is Curtis left footed? He's not at the level required for these games either. Gassama is a left winger but right footed so where's he playing when fit? Cortes isn't a left footer either he also likes cutting in on his right. Same as bajrami and Aasgaard. Have we been linked to any left footed wingers? We will have 1 left footed player in the 11 at this rate and that's Diomande.
Where's this balance is the squad he spoke of? We will have a left side of right footed players again. Like someone else said seems same old mistakes so far and no proper thought in to the signings we have made. I did say Aaron's would play lb a lot as tav was never sitting on the bench on 35k a week. I don't thibk we will sign another lb even if ridvan leaves. Dujon Stirling can play left or right as well when fit. Looking at that euro squad who's coming out to add a lb, cb and a left winger? It's looking concerning for me.
20 Jul 2025 16:22:15
SWS - Danilo has been scoring goals pre- season but would have liked either Dessers or Igamane alongside him.
20 Jul 2025 17:15:59
Yeah it's never get to shoehorn a right back in a left. Not good for the player and worse for the actual left backs.
20 Jul 2025 17:33:26
Shakey Dowell is left footed.
20 Jul 2025 17:56:20
Dowell for Cerny there's a difference right there that weakens our good Europa team . Doesn't have anything like the attacking threat down that side.
20 Jul 2025 18:19:45
Shakey, your post has tipped me over the edge - there no point trying to share or contribute anything on these pages anymore.
Hopefully the live chat doesn't go down the same route.
See you all on Tuesday.
20 Jul 2025 18:22:43
WSL, no matter what right winger we sign in all probability he won't be as good as cerny mate ?.
20 Jul 2025 18:39:41
Unless it was someone like Brooks sws, think he'd bring more not goals just more for the team.
20 Jul 2025 19:01:53
My star Dowell has been coming in off the right though mate. As EHL said Curtis has been doing that role on the left. Tipped you over the edge for asking if Curtis is left footed? I genuinely don't know hence why I asked but I know the other players I mentioned ain't. You said aarons is cutting in to allow the left winger to stay wide. From the players I've seen play there, there's no one left footed. Martin said the squad would have more of a balance. I get still plenty time left in the window but not plenty time for us. These European qualifiers are massive and if what you say is true then why no left footed left winger been brought in. A Rangers coach who will be on the live chat on Tuesday rather than at the game ?.
20 Jul 2025 19:21:50
Think the previous two games shows us who's starting on Tuesday, the only position that could be argued about is who is starting on left wing, think the young kid is in with a chance of getting the nod over Barjami and Cortez.
20 Jul 2025 19:28:33
See you then EHL?? I get your frustration bud, but continue to post, your input is very welcome??.
20 Jul 2025 19:48:10
BigDado - I look at it another way.
I don't think he rates our current LB options as highly as playing Aarons there.
20 Jul 2025 20:11:45
I agree with you regarding david brooks My star, but sadly i don't see us signing him and tbh mate, unfortunately i don't think we're interested in brooks ☹️.
20 Jul 2025 21:23:48
I thought. Martin's approach was supposed to be identical to Clement? How are the player struggling to adapt?
21 Jul 2025 07:39:16
MVG, not sure if that's a genuine question or not - hard to tell on here nowadays.
Put simply neither Clement or Martin had / have the players to implement their style.
Clement let the back line sit deep, tried to stretch the game with Dessers and used a 10, or sometimes two 10's (one coming on off the left) to try and occupy the space in the final 3rd.
Martin has identified the set up as per my original post as an alternative that would allow his team to hold the high defensive line.
21 Jul 2025 14:27:59
Cheers EHL. I know what you mean.
With such a high line, I guess we're still susceptible to that ball over the top until we get some genuine pace in that back line.
Looking forward to seeing how it looks on Tuesday.