The rise of the Phoenix

[Soldier blue 563]

Disappointed.  How amazing is it to be disappointed with two draws against Benfica?  I would have loved to have asked that question of the other 48,000 bears that surrounded me when we were losing to Annan Athletic at Ibrox 7 short years ago.  The transformation in those 7 years from Annan to Benfica is unbelievable.  Our club has been through the ringer, but we stood shoulder to shoulder and that is, IMO, our greatest testimony as followers of this great club.

I now look forward to games against Europe’s greatest teams with every expectation that we will, at least, compete and not surprised when we win or draw.  Stevie Gerrard, Gary McAllister and Michael Beale have had their detractors, in the media and, occasionally, within our support but they are finally getting the recognition they deserve, even by the SMSM!  The improvement in our players is nothing short of remarkable and we are playing a great brand of football atm.  I recognise that we are yet to win the trophies we long for but firmly believe that the gradual improvement SG has spoken of is leading us to the success our performances deserve.

Let others concern themselves with our financials, ignoring the true value of our squad and the proven ability of our recruiting staff and coaches to keep getting it right as we rise to our rightful place.  The Phoenix has risen.

[RFC55 108,934]

The phoenix?

You saying we ur deed?

Bet yae are.

Ko lol 

[British_Empire 9,648]

Still really annoyed and frustrated but it's been three hours since full-time whistle and I am mellowing a little. 

Still stand by everything else I've said tonight but the overriding feeling I've now got is that if the lowest I've felt this season is after two draws against Benfica when we're almost at the half-way point (more or less) then listen - we're doing fucking alright. No-one in their right mind can even try and deny that.

Still sore tho - and will be for a wee while, but it will pass.

[RFC55 108,934]

Just now, British_Empire said:

Still really annoyed and frustrated but it's been a couple of hours since full-time whistle and I am mellowing a little. 

Still stand by everything else I've said tonight but the overriding feeling I've not got is that if the lowest I've felt this season is after two draws against Benfica when we're almost at the half-way point (more or less) then listen - we're doing fucking alright. No-one in their right mind can even try and deny that.

Still sore tho - and will be for a wee while, but it will pass.

Mate let's be honest as rangers fans we want the lot but there's only one thing that matters this season

Doesn't excuse the night but we've one goal 

[British_Empire 9,648]

1 minute ago, Rfc52 said:

Mate let's be honest as rangers fans we want the lot but there's only one thing that matters this season

Doesn't excuse the night but we've one goal 

I'd take 3-0 defeats in every single cup to even win the league on goal difference or 1 point on the last day of the season.

or even get handed it for Covid 

[AlbertzLoyalRSC 18,071]

3 minutes ago, Rfc52 said:

Mate let's be honest as rangers fans we want the lot but there's only one thing that matters this season

Doesn't excuse the night but we've one goal 

 

2 minutes ago, British_Empire said:

I'd take 3-0 defeats in every single cup to even win the league on goal difference or 1 point on the last day of the season.

Anyone saying anything different know fuck all.

[Willis 20,919]

In disappointed that we didn't win the game but I don't give a fuck about the Europa tbh

[Hadron Collider 30,883]

1 hour ago, Willis said:

In disappointed that we didn't win the game but I don't give a fuck about the Europa tbh

I know we want the league mate, but the Europa brings way more money in so we can improve the squad. After watching tonight’s game, I hope we still bring in a serious player. Some of our boys looked out on their feet with 20 mins to go. 

[Colin Traive 22,776]

4 hours ago, Hadron Collider said:

I know we want the league mate, but the Europa brings way more money in so we can improve the squad. After watching tonight’s game, I hope we still bring in a serious player. Some of our boys looked out on their feet with 20 mins to go. 

Don’t forget that Jack, Aribo and even Zungu were all unavailable and could have taken over from Arfield or Davis who both looked out on their feet.

I know someone was going on about substitutes earlier but, had an experienced midfielder been on the bench, Gerrard would have used him.

The absence of these three to refresh tiring legs was the single biggest factor in our sloppiness at the end.

[Hadron Collider 30,883]

1 hour ago, Colin Traive said:

Don’t forget that Jack, Aribo and even Zungu were all unavailable and could have taken over from Arfield or Davis who both looked out on their feet.

I know someone was going on about substitutes earlier but, had an experienced midfielder been on the bench, Gerrard would have used him.

The absence of these three to refresh tiring legs was the single biggest factor in our sloppiness at the end.

Yeah good point mate. 

[MaddistonKnight 1,567]

7 hours ago, Soldier blue said:

Disappointed.  How amazing is it to be disappointed with two draws against Benfica?  I would have loved to have asked that question of the other 48,000 bears that surrounded me when we were losing to Annan Athletic at Ibrox 7 short years ago.  The transformation in those 7 years from Annan to Benfica is unbelievable.  Our club has been through the ringer, but we stood shoulder to shoulder and that is, IMO, our greatest testimony as followers of this great club.

I now look forward to games against Europe’s greatest teams with every expectation that we will, at least, compete and not surprised when we win or draw.  Stevie Gerrard, Gary McAllister and Michael Beale have had their detractors, in the media and, occasionally, within our support but they are finally getting the recognition they deserve, even by the SMSM!  The improvement in our players is nothing short of remarkable and we are playing a great brand of football atm.  I recognise that we are yet to win the trophies we long for but firmly believe that the gradual improvement SG has spoken of is leading us to the success our performances deserve.

Let others concern themselves with our financials, ignoring the true value of our squad and the proven ability of our recruiting staff and coaches to keep getting it right as we rise to our rightful place.  The Phoenix has risen.

Annan. I paid a sma fortune with my mates to get into the Thorburn Suite that day.  McCulloch refused to come up to the Suite to get an award from the boys who'd come down from Stornoway. Fucked by Annan and the club captain wouldn't show face.

Now. Changed days.

We should be a damned sight more humble in my fucking opinion. It's one thing to be disappointed with a result, it's another to forget where we came from, where we are now and where we are going.

patience and class. That's all we need to show. Trophies are coming

[My Fathers Scarf 1,144]

7 hours ago, Soldier blue said:

Disappointed.  How amazing is it to be disappointed with two draws against Benfica?  I would have loved to have asked that question of the other 48,000 bears that surrounded me when we were losing to Annan Athletic at Ibrox 7 short years ago.  The transformation in those 7 years from Annan to Benfica is unbelievable.  Our club has been through the ringer, but we stood shoulder to shoulder and that is, IMO, our greatest testimony as followers of this great club.

I now look forward to games against Europe’s greatest teams with every expectation that we will, at least, compete and not surprised when we win or draw.  Stevie Gerrard, Gary McAllister and Michael Beale have had their detractors, in the media and, occasionally, within our support but they are finally getting the recognition they deserve, even by the SMSM!  The improvement in our players is nothing short of remarkable and we are playing a great brand of football atm.  I recognise that we are yet to win the trophies we long for but firmly believe that the gradual improvement SG has spoken of is leading us to the success our performances deserve.

Let others concern themselves with our financials, ignoring the true value of our squad and the proven ability of our recruiting staff and coaches to keep getting it right as we rise to our rightful place.  The Phoenix has risen.

Good post mate. 👍

[chris182 6,297]

7 hours ago, Rfc52 said:

Mate let's be honest as Rangers fans we want the lot but there's only one thing that matters this season

Doesn't excuse the night but we've one goal 

Yip, let's not forget our priority number 1.

[Wullies_bowly_legs 3,805]

13 hours ago, British_Empire said:

Still really annoyed and frustrated but it's been three hours since full-time whistle and I am mellowing a little. 

Still stand by everything else I've said tonight but the overriding feeling I've now got is that if the lowest I've felt this season is after two draws against Benfica when we're almost at the half-way point (more or less) then listen - we're doing fucking alright. 

Agreed the away leg against 10 men was annoying and we should have held out, but when you look at the game stats last night Benfica had the best of them. As you said it is some situation we are in when we are disappointed with 2 draws against a superb team like Benfica. Long may this improvement since the last 2 years continue as not only are we winning but the brand of football we are playing is so entertaining. 
Even kris commons, the other night, was talking about how good our play is, the tactics we use,  how difficult we are to play against and how together the team and management seem to be.

• Unusual to hear one of them praising us.

[Malkytfp1 18,594]

13 hours ago, Willis said:

In disappointed that we didn't win the game but I don't give a fuck about the Europa tbh

You should after our latest financial report.

[folkestoneger 8,137]

16 hours ago, Willis said:

In disappointed that we didn't win the game but I don't give a fuck about the Europa tbh

A few more good results could give us a direct entry to the champions league groups  in 2 years.

Distraction to the main business of winning 55 or not it is still important in the longer run.

[Brubear 2,920]

17 hours ago, Willis said:

In disappointed that we didn't win the game but I don't give a fuck about the Europa tbh

A good run in Europa brings in funds as others have said, but for me it is about improving OUR coefficient so that once we win the league we have an easier route into the CL Group stages where the real money is.