Rangers to deploy four front men on a win or bust night in the Champions League

[the goal machine 7,801]

The thunder roared, the lightning rent the sky and the rain spat viciously on the unprepared. It was as if the elements in Kaunas last night were joining an ominous chorus of warning to a Rangers side facing a perilous journey to the land of Champions League riches.

Walter Smith, whose side must overcome FBK Kaunas tonight to continue their qualifying trek in the most lucrative club tournament in the world, has a wearisome air when the importance of the match is emphasised again, yet again.

The 0-0 draw at Ibrox last week, though, has left Rangers with no slack in a tournament Smith says is always decided by small margins. Simply, the Rangers manager has to solve The Riddle of the Strikers Who Do Not Score. Ibrox is now crammed with front men after Smith added Kenny Miller, Kyle Lafferty and Andrius Velicka to last season's complement of Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, Jean-Claude Darcheville and Daniel Cousin. Yet in their three major games of the season so far - against Kaunas, Liverpool and Schalke 04 - Rangers have not found the net.

Smith, however, brushed aside suggestions that the pressure is getting to him.

"It gets to you just after the season finishes when you realise you're going to have to face the qualifiers before you're really up and running and that's the worst part of it. But it happens and you've just got to get on with it and you have to be ready for it," he said.

He conceded, though, that there is always an element of fear in such a cut-throat situation as the second qualifying round. "You have to face that aspect of it," he said. "In the next round it's different, because you can say you've got the UEFA Cup, but that doesn't make it any better if you don't get there."

In the next round it’s different, because you can say you’ve got the UEFA Cup, but that doesn’t make it any better if you don’t get there

Smith was honest about the stalemate at Ibrox: "We didn't do enough in the first leg - we weren't bright enough and we've got to be brighter in the second leg."

That brightness will be helped by the scoring of a goal. Smith seems likely to endeavour to solve The Riddle of the Strikers Who Do Not Score by playing a job lot of them. The Rangers line-up is likely to be a curious blend of safety-first Smith and going-for-a-goal Smith. The first part of the mix will be supplied by a 4-5-1 formation. The second part will be formed by the inclusion of four strikers in Miller, Lafferty, McCulloch and Novo.

Miller will almost certainly play alone up front with the young Northern Irishman and the Spaniard supporting from the wings. McCulloch will form a three in central midfield with Kevin Thomson and Brahim Hemdani. This, of course, is speculation as Smith declined to confirm he would pick the team that started against Liverpool on Saturday.

His "mebbes aye, mebbes naw" suggest, however, that he is not cowed by the challenge of Kaunas. And nor should he be. The Lithuanian champions are a limited side with only the mercurial Rafael Ledesma and the roving Mindaugas Grigalevicius rising above the routine.

The problem for Smith is that his side, too, have been mediocre at best in these early, vital overtures to the season. Asked if the Ibrox performance was as good as FBK Kaunas can play, Smith retorted: "I don't know whether it's as good as they can play. I just know that we can play better than we did in that game and that's what we'll have to do: concentrate on our own performance."

The road to success will almost certainly be found on the flanks. Rangers must find width to stretch a Kaunas defence that was allowed to sit back and soak up pressure at Ibrox.

Sasa Papac and Steven Whittaker could not find the room to produce crosses of any danger in the first leg but Kaunas players admitted yesterday that they were surprised and somewhat alarmed by the intrusions on the wing by Novo after he came on at half-time last week. If Lafferty plays wide on the other flank, Rangers might have enough to produce a goal that would dramatically change the dynamic of the tie. With four strikers in the team, Smith might be forgiven for feeling that should not be beyond them.

Rangers' lack of creativity has become the staple of Scottish football talk but it must be remembered that two excellent chances were created at Ibrox. They were scorned by Miller and Darcheville. "We know what we have to do and I don't think you can approach the game with any great fear," said Smith last night before the storm broke. "We can approach it with confidence because if we play well enough we know we can go through," he added.

That competence, and the solution to the riddle, should be enough for Rangers to face Aab Aalborg next week.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines...ions_League.php

[FlippinEck 3,705]

McCulloch will form a three in central midfield with Kevin Thomson and Brahim Hemdani

[Boab 73]

McCulloch will form a three in central midfield with Kevin Thomson and Brahim Hemdani

[pcbear 10,913]

]McCulloch will form a three in central midfield with Kevin Thomson and Brahim Hemdani

Scarey stuff, lets get through this unscathed and surely to fuck this will be addressed soonest.

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,781]

Scarey stuff, lets get through this unscathed and surely to fuck this will be addressed soonest.

Exactly mate.

It's not like we have an abundance of options at the moment is it?

[Davy 68]

Scarey stuff, lets get through this unscathed and surely to fuck this will be addressed soonest.

Exactly mate.

It's not like we have an abundance of options at the moment is it?

As true as that is, Walter has no-one to blame but himself.

[the goal machine 7,801]

He seems to think the team is going to be:

------------------McGregor-----------------

Whittaker----Weir----Broadfoot----Papac

-----------Thomson---Hemdani------------

Novo-----------McCulloch----------Lafferty

--------------------Miller----------------------

[Blue Stars Bearette 1]

McCulloch will form a three in central midfield with Kevin Thomson and Brahim Hemdani

Gers fans

Kaunus Manager :header:

[MaD CoW 3]

I don't think I could take it if McCulloch & Adam we're to play!

[Boab 73]

I don't think I could take it if McCulloch & Adam we're to play!

How did you cope last season, MC?

[MaD CoW 3]

I don't think I could take it if McCulloch & Adam we're to play!

How did you cope last season, MC?

Plenty of drink before the games, I'm glad my supporters bus stops off at pubs on the way to the games!

I remember I was half cut by 10am when we played Hibs in the Scottish Cup at Easter Road, someone even offered to take me to the pub at half time!

[rfc_no1fan 13]

I don't think I could take it if McCulloch & Adam we're to play!

How did you cope last season, MC?

Plenty of drink before the games, I'm glad my supporters bus stops off at pubs on the way to the games!

I remember I was half cut by 10am when we played Hibs in the Scottish Cup at Easter Road, someone even offered to take me to the pub at half time!

Your liver is going to take a pounding this year

[MaD CoW 3]

I don't think I could take it if McCulloch & Adam we're to play!

How did you cope last season, MC?

Plenty of drink before the games, I'm glad my supporters bus stops off at pubs on the way to the games!

I remember I was half cut by 10am when we played Hibs in the Scottish Cup at Easter Road, someone even offered to take me to the pub at half time!

Your liver is going to take a pounding this year

George Best hasn't got a lookin'. :beer2:

[Muff 245]

He seems to think the team is going to be:

------------------McGregor-----------------

Whittaker----Weir----Broadfoot----Papac

-----------Thomson---Hemdani------------

Novo-----------McCulloch----------Lafferty

--------------------Miller----------------------

A side that couldn't hit a barn door. Fukn awful!

[p4uly83 0]

Fuck me, 4 strikers start and Boyd and Velicka our 2 best finishers can't get a game this is geting worse :angry2:

[Boab 73]

It might be 4 strikers but they won't all be playing as strikers.

[J_RFC87 761]

Fuck me, 4 strikers start and Boyd and Velicka our 2 best finishers can't get a game this is geting worse :angry2:

It's incredible how they probably won't play in favour of that fhanny Miller

[papaguy51 912]

True.

As much as I think he could improve, I wonder what Boyd's thinking right now.

That £3m move to Cardiff probably doesn't seem as unattractive any more.

[chris_glasgow 2]

its actually depressing

[MaD CoW 3]

Fuck me, 4 strikers start and Boyd and Velicka our 2 best finishers can't get a game this is geting worse :angry2:

It's incredible how they probably won't play in favour of that fhanny Miller

As long as it's not JCD as he's as good as finished!

[p4uly83 0]

It might be 4 strikers but they won't all be playing as strikers.

True but I would put Boyd or more likley Velicka where Miller is IMO.

[p4uly83 0]

------------------McGregor-----------------

Whittaker----Weir----Broadfoot----Papac

-----------Thomson---Hemdani------------

Novo--------------Miller----------Lafferty

---------------Velicka/Boyd---------------------

If we have to play that position, get McCBollok to fuck

[Muff 245]

I'd be playing 4-4-2 tomorrow, especially with the injuries and lack of good players.

Lee McCulloch and Kyle Lafferty in midfield with Mhiller up on his own is a fukn joke. Lafferty should be played upfront.

Khenny Miller will be the new Lee McCulloch.

[Danny 9]

I'd be playing 4-4-2 tomorrow, especially with the injuries and lack of good players.

Lee McCulloch and Kyle Lafferty in midfield with Mhiller up on his own is a fukn joke. Lafferty should be played upfront.

Khenny Miller will be the new Lee McCulloch.

Who is the old Lee McCulloch?

[Muff 245]

In that I meant shite and offer nothing(apart from running about like a headless chicken)but always play.