Why Rangers could beat Celtic in a Cup Final.

[Buzz 306]

The prospect of an Old Firm cup final is one many of us have thought about, possibly even wished for this season. It offers a chance for us to not only win a major piece of domestic silverware, but to give Celtic a humbling in the process would be only too sweet.

It's not hard to see that man for man, Celtic have a better first XI than us. Even the most staunch bluenose would struggle to deny it. But do not fear, there is hope. And the improvement from Ally McCoist points towards that hope.

Lets take a look at our own team. Having weighed up the players, it's easy to see that our strengths lie in our wide players. Wallace and Templeton are top players in Scotland, McKay is a great prospect who's on fire and Argyriou is pretty solid too. Certainly, in the wide areas, I think we have the upper hand over Celtic, content to play an out-of-form Izaguirre and Matthews, with an inconsistent Samaras and a central midfielder on the wings.

However, our major deficiencies lie in central defence. When facing strikers who play with the ball at their feet, Perry and Cribari are not convincing in the slightest. However, when dealing with aerial balls, they are competent. Hooper is a player who will challenge in the air, but these two would win more than their fair share, they are bigger and stronger than Hooper is.

First of all, what must be done is to shut off the hole behind the striker, to prevent playing it into Hoopers feet. This is where Black and Hutton would come in, both are more than competent at this and Black will hopefully wake up against tougher opposition. He certainly wont take any shit from Brown.

Secondly, we must push Celtic out wide, where they are weak, so that the only opportunities they have are if they lump the ball into Hooper. Easier said than done, but should the hole be closed off, they will be left with little options. This is realistically our best chance to avoid conceding.

Thirdly, we must look to our attack. Jig, whilst good at bullying a defence and holding the ball up, is slow. On the wings, we have pace in McKay and Temps, and playing just behind Jig, a good passer of the ball in MacLeod, more than capable of threading a through ball for them to run on to. He's also got a good long shot on him should he get right up behind McCulloch. Celtic have very little pace at the back, particularly through the middle. We could counter attack at speed and hit them for six.

Therefore, it's easy to see that should we set our stall out accordingly, we CAN beat Celtic. There is reason for hope and optimism. But it requires the right line up. And the ability to withstand pressure and break at speed.

Alexander

Argyriou Perry Cribari Wallace

Black Hutton

Temps MacLeod McKay

McCulloch

So what do you think?

[King Jela 20,582]

I think we should pray we don't get them.

They're a better team, man for man they're a better team and fans screaming no surrender and don't fear them wont change the fact we'd probably get an absolute arse-raping.

[Buzz 306]

I think we should pray we don't get them.

They're a better team, man for man they're a better team and fans screaming no surrender and don't fear them wont change the fact we'd probably get an absolute arse-raping.

I can see us getting past them. If we play the way I've highlighted, we'd take them. Man for man they're better, but cup games are won and lost on tactics.

[El Carpintero 546]

I can see us getting past them. If we play the way I've highlighted, we'd take them. Man for man they're better, but cup games are won and lost on tactics.

And that would be where we fail as we did against Inverness.

[Buzz 306]

And that would be where we fail as we did against Inverness.

But where we succeeded against Motherwell.

[Mor3los_1 3,672]

I don't think we would have a chance but stranger things have happened, we would need to be pretty lucky IMO to get a victory. Just use Celtics euro tactics. Put everyone behind the ball and try and score with a corner

[El Carpintero 546]

But where we succeeded against Motherwell.

We always beat Motherwell no matter what team or tactics we played. They never do well against us.

[Buzz 306]

We always beat Motherwell no matter what team or tactics we played. They never do well against us.

That's hardly factual. The fact is, should we play to our strengths and play the game out wide, we can beat this Celtic side. Certainly, I see nothing to fear from them. In the middle they're a side with bite, often threading the ball through to Hooper or making the most of set pieces. Should we shut off a supply to Hooper I can't foresee many difficulties. We'd take Wanyama, Ledley, Brown etc out the game using this tactic.

[Blue corn flakes 1,282]

I wanna avoid these cunts until were on our feet and running again.

[El Carpintero 546]

That's hardly factual. The fact is, should we play to our strengths and play the game out wide, we can beat this Celtic side. Certainly, I see nothing to fear from them. In the middle they're a side with bite, often threading the ball through to Hooper or making the most of set pieces. Should we shut off a supply to Hooper I can't foresee many difficulties. We'd take Wanyama, Ledley, Brown etc out the game using this tactic.

I only recall us dictating play against Celtic once or twice in recent years and that was with some very strong Rangers teams, this Rangers team would almost certainly be on the back foot for 90 mins against a team with a desire and will to humiliate us.

[JimmyCR1 1,523]

we would have a chance, but at the end of the day our team is not as good as theirs, and we would be at risk of a hiding

[theweebluenose 4,332]

Barcelona have better players than the mhanky mob but they still managed to beat them, at the moment a result against them would be an upset and they are all too common in Football. I'd rather avoid them but wouldn't automatically surrender against they cunts.

[Buzz 306]

I only ever recall us dictating play against Celtic once or twice in recent years and that was with some very strong Rangers teams, this Rangers team would almost certainly be on the back foot for 90 mins against a team with a desire and will to humiliate us.

Who said we need to dictate play? And we have just as strong a desire to humiliate them. These players that have signed for us have plenty to prove, after having had accusations thrown at them that they signed only for money.

I don't fear Celtic and I see no reason why anyone should. It is ninety minutes, one game of football and we can take them tactically.

[Blue corn flakes 1,282]

I only ever recall us dictating play against Celtic once or twice in recent years and that was with some very strong Rangers teams, this Rangers team would almost certainly be on the back foot for 90 mins against a team with a desire and will to humiliate us.

True, that yellow tooth bhigot would want to humiliate us and i would fear the worse if we played them now.

[Marky. 6,963]

We could beat them, because anyone can beat anyone, hell, Stirling beat us, they beat Barcelona ffs.

But on paper, we're not strong enough to beat them. They have a decent team, some good individual footballers as well. As a whole their squad is stronger, and it's the team that will win the match, not the fans unfortunately.

[theweebluenose 4,332]

Our team's over the past few years have been hardly strong any ways over the past few years bar a few star players.

[tannerall 25,935]

Stopped reading when i got to "Argyriou is pretty solid too."

Too early. But looking forward to it when we are ready.

[Buzz 306]

Stopped reading when i got to "Argyriou is pretty solid too."

Too early. But looking forward to it when we are ready.

Argyriou has pace, can cross a ball and would push them back on our right wing. In any case, you could pull him out and replace him with Hegarty or Cole, it wouldn't matter. Either are solid enough.

[El Carpintero 546]

Who said we need to dictate play? And we have just as strong a desire to humiliate them. These players that have signed for us have plenty to prove, after having had accusations thrown at them that they signed only for money.

I don't fear Celtic and I see no reason why anyone should. It is ninety minutes, one game of football and we can take them tactically.

Where you not, talking about keeping play out wide and the ball away from the central areas? That sounds like dictating play somewhat. These players you are talking about had a chance against Inverness to show they wanted to compete with and beat a team in a higher league. They didn't turn up.

I don't agree we could take them tactically.

[El Carpintero 546]

Our team's over the past few years have been hardly strong any ways over the past few years bar a few star players.

The teams we took to Parkhead and beat them with were very strong.

[Buzz 306]

Where you not, talking about keeping play out wide and the ball away from the central areas? That sounds like dictating play somewhat. These players you are talking about had a chance against Inverness to show they wanted to compete with and beat a team in a higher league. They didn't turn up.

I don't agree we could take them tactically.

Forcing them out wide, yes. Dictating play would be to dictate tempo, or pace of the game. They can dictate that all they want, it won't make a blind bit of difference should we shunt it out wide and force them to swing high balls in all game.

These players also had a chance against Motherwell, and did turn up. Bear in mind Motherwell were top of the SPL and on form when we comprehensively humped them.

But equally, I can understand why you fear them.

[El Carpintero 546]

Forcing them out wide, yes. Dictating play would be to dictate tempo, or pace of the game. They can dictate that all they want, it won't make a blind bit of difference should we shunt it out wide and force them to swing high balls in all game.

These players also had a chance against Motherwell, and did turn up. Bear in mind Motherwell were top of the SPL and on form when we comprehensively humped them.

But equally, I can understand why you fear them.

They have scored many goals from balls whipped into the box from Mulgrew. I wouldn't fancy letting them try that all game.

Motherwell as i said, are a team we never have trouble with, especially at home.

[Blumhoilann 6,712]

Need to get past Dumbdee Hivs first

[Ozblue 4,331]

To be honest with you, I wouldn't have a clue whether we would be able to take that scummy mob on or not.I have no idea who plays in their team these days,apart from Hooper,Samaras and that big cunt in goals,so other than knowing they beat Barcelona with reportedly one shot at goal,perhaps our youngsters might beat them with speed and skill,but not in experience which is vital in games like this.

Personally I would prefer we stay away from them at the moment although if we did get them I would never go into the game with a defeatist attitude.

[Buzz 306]

They have scored many goals from balls whipped into the box from Mulgrew. I wouldn't fancy letting them try that all game.

Motherwell as i said, are a team we never have trouble with, especially at home.

Why not? Perry and Cribari can handle high balls all day. The reason Mulgrews free-kicks are so famous is cos he only ever whips them in against teams that are, to use one of my late grandmothers expressions, 'short in the arse'. When playing against teams with big a big physical presence e.g. Kilmarnock. he is never successful.

Well to be equally as facetious, Inverness are a team we always have bother with. Why not credit the superb performance Rangers put in that night?