*****The Official Lech Poznan v Rangers Match Thread*****

[esquire8 42,726]

1 minute ago, JackAlex93 said:

I'd make one or two changes for this game with an eye on Tannadice come Sunday. Sunday is huge. 

Tomorrow is the difference between topping the group or coming 2nd which in turn means an easier or harder tie. We've got the squad to manage to play full strength tomorrow evening and win on Sunday. 

[JackAlex93 11,272]

1 minute ago, esquire8 said:

Tomorrow is the difference between topping the group or coming 2nd which in turn means an easier or harder tie. We've got the squad to manage to play full strength tomorrow evening and win on Sunday. 

I know what tomorrow is all about. I still think we can make 1 or 2 changes and still win against Poznan.

[esquire8 42,726]

1 hour ago, British_Empire said:

Mental how many folk have Zungu in their wee dream XI's for an important European match when he's done nothing of note for us so far. 

You could literally have any 3 from Jack (if he's confirmed fit), Davis, Aribo, Arfield, Kamara and even Hagi - Zungu is down the pecking order in a massive match for us even in relation to changing it a wee bit.

By all means if we are winning and want to hold onto it bring him on and take someone off with Sunday at Tannadice in mind. Fine with that.

Surely those doing this are just pandering to our new South African social media overlords 

Still plenty of time for the lad to make an impact, tomorrow and Sunday ain't those times though.

[British_Empire 9,648]

6 minutes ago, JackAlex93 said:

I know what tomorrow is all about. I still think we can make 1 or 2 changes and still win against Poznan.

Can defo make a couple of changes and it shouldn't derail us. The big thing for us this season has been that players come in and slot in so effortlessly like they've been playing years so I don't have any concerns around that - within reason.

I've had a change of heart though and reckon McGregor should play this one. I totally trust Jon as our back-up and his ability isn't in question, but McGregor in a game like tomorrow night might be the difference between 1 point, 3 points or 0 points.

Would really like to see Jack and Helander back into the starting XI. 

Think it's vital Kent, Morelos and Kamara all play.

[esquire8 42,726]

5 minutes ago, British_Empire said:

Can defo make a couple of changes and it shouldn't derail us. The big thing for us this season has been that players come in and slot in so effortlessly like they've been playing years so I don't have any concerns around that - within reason.

I've had a change of heart though and reckon McGregor should play this one. I totally trust Jon as our back-up and his ability isn't in question, but McGregor in a game like tomorrow night might be the difference between 1 point, 3 points or 0 points.

Would really like to see Jack and Helander back into the starting XI. 

Think it's vital Kent, Morelos and Kamara all play.

McGregor always earns his weekly wage on a Thursday evening.

Is Helander available for selection again?

[SeparateEntityMyArse 53,723]

Go strong and keep our unbeaten run going. Confidence breeds confidence.

Fick the coefficient I want to see the scum humiliated tomorrow night. Squeeze the last drops of belief they have players capable of rediscovering form.

[BearInTheToon 1,577]

1 hour ago, British_Empire said:

Mental how many folk have Zungu in their wee dream XI's for an important European match when he's done nothing of note for us so far. 

You could literally have any 3 from Jack (if he's confirmed fit), Davis, Aribo, Arfield, Kamara and even Hagi - Zungu is down the pecking order in a massive match for us even in relation to changing it a wee bit.

By all means if we are winning and want to hold onto it bring him on and take someone off with Sunday at Tannadice in mind. Fine with that.

Think it's you who might be surprised, mate.  I think there's a very high probability that Zungu will start.

[J-Maestro 11,097]

14 minutes ago, SeparateEntityMyArse said:

Go strong and keep our unbeaten run going. Confidence breeds confidence.

Fick the coefficient I want to see the scum humiliated tomorrow night. Squeeze the last drops of belief they have players capable of rediscovering form.

This 100%, who knows what a bad loss could do to our team. Better that we keep pushing on and winning every game, the players will want to play every game too. The size of our squad just now we should be able to play 2 times a week as Helander will be back from COVID soon too. 

[British_Empire 9,648]

2 minutes ago, BearInTheToon said:

Think it's you who might be surprised, mate.  I think there's a very high probability that Zungu will start.

Someone said that to me last week too mate.

He might start (now that we've qualified) I just don't see the point when even with making a couple of changes, we still have better we can put in to freshen it up.

[Tiger Shaw 30,470]

Keep seeing Bassey in peoples team but unless Barasic is injured he starts this, he was rested at the weekend and will start Thursday and Sunday imo

 

[British_Empire 9,648]

3 minutes ago, Tiger Shaw said:

Keep seeing Bassey in people teams but unless Barasic is injured he starts this, he was rested at the weekend and will start Thursday and Sunday imo

 

Aye that's another strange one. The whole reason he never played on Sunday is because he's playing on Thursday. Thought that was pretty obvious tbh.

Bet you Bassey starts now  

[British_Empire 9,648]

6 minutes ago, Rangers_no1 said:

It's hardly mental and this is from someone who does not rate him or think he's shown anything to suggest he will be a good addition.

However Davis is nearly 36 and should not be playing 3 games in 6/7 days. Jack has been injured for weeks and you want to through him straight into such an important European match?

Aribo is just back and looked completely unfit at the weekend, he also players a different position to Zungu, as does Hagi and Arfield.

This is a perfect opportunity to give Zungu a chance over Davis against a reserve Polish side.

Aye it is mental because he's unproven at us and it's a massive game. 

Aribo did look unfit at the weekend but he got 60-minutes or so in his legs, so he'll be in different (better) shape for tomorrow night given that on Sunday.

If Davis plays tomorrow he can be rested on Sunday. He's capable of playing tomorrow provided he's rested after it.

Hagi and Arfield can easily play either side of someone in the middle be it Kamara or Jack. That there what you've said only applies if I'm advocating Hagi or Arfield playing in the middle of the midfield 3 - which I'm not.

It won't matter Jack's been out a few weeks given the role he plays and his style of play which is keeping it simple.

I'm not interested in giving unproven folk "a chance" in high profile, important games - which they all are just now. 

 

 

[J-Maestro 11,097]

1 minute ago, British_Empire said:

Aye it is mental because he's unproven at us and it's a massive game. 

Aribo did look unfit at the weekend but he got 60-minutes or so in his legs, so he'll be in different (better) shape for tomorrow night given that on Sunday.

If Davis plays tomorrow he can be rested on Sunday. He's capable of playing tomorrow provided he's rested after it.

I'm not interested in giving unproven folk "a chance" in high profile, important games - which they all are just now. 

 

 

We are also playing against mainly Poznan reserves it looks like it, this would be a good game for him to slot in. He's looked decent in his short appearances and if he doesn't start on Thursday I'm not sure what game he can ever start in.

[British_Empire 9,648]

2 minutes ago, J-Maestro said:

We are also playing against mainly Poznan reserves it looks like it, this would be a good game for him to slot in. He's looked decent in his short appearances and if he doesn't start on Thursday I'm not sure what game he can ever start in.

There's domestic games at Ibrox and the like he can start in. 

It's insanity starting him in midfield tomorrow night in a big game we want to win, with his style of play which is different to our other midfielders that fit our style.

Folk are seriously under-estimating Poznan here. A lot of our European games teams have rested players but they are still tough, tight games. 

[J-Maestro 11,097]

1 minute ago, British_Empire said:

There's domestic games at Ibrox and the like he can start in. 

It's insanity starting him in midfield tomorrow night in a big game we want to win, with his style of play which is different to our other midfielders that fit our style.

Folk are seriously under-estimating Poznan here. A lot of our European games teams have rested players but they are still tough, tight games. 

I'm not saying it's not going to be a tough game, and we should be going for the win. Thiss the only game we can afford to drop any points in going forward until we are out of sight of Celtic. If he can't slot in to this game then there was no point to signing him. I'd have him next to Kamara and Arfield tomorrow if Jack is still unfit. Save Davis for the Dundee Utd game.

[J-Maestro 11,097]

1 minute ago, Rangers_no1 said:

I remember hearing similar about Midjtylland being a tough game, Willem 2 as well and we hammered both, it's Poznan reserves here... Our back up 11 should be beating them.

Except we already struggled past Poznan at home so it's not the same at all.

[British_Empire 9,648]

1 minute ago, Rangers_no1 said:

I remember hearing similar about Midjtylland being a tough game, Willem 2 as well and we hammered both, it's Poznan reserves here... Our back up 11 should be beating them.

We'll soon see then but I do think too many are thinking this will be a cake walk or something. I seen enough of them at Ibrox to know they're a threat - they've nothing to lose. The Danes were pish against us and Willem I thought the 4-0 flattered us if I'm honest - but two fantastic results. 

Just now, J-Maestro said:

I'm not saying it's not going to be a tough game, and we should be going for the win. Thiss the only game we can afford to drop any points in going forward until we are out of sight of Celtic. If he can't slot in to this game then there was no point to signing him. I'd have him next to Kamara and Arfield tomorrow if Jack is still unfit. Save Davis for the Dundee Utd game.

I don't disagree with that but I don't like the idea of not taking it as seriously as we can either and starting Zungu for no other reason than to give him a chance is insanity in my eyes when there will be some canter domestic games we can do it in instead.

He might start. Gerrard surprises us all at times. But I'd be surprised.

[J-Maestro 11,097]

Just now, British_Empire said:

We'll soon see then but I do think too many are thinking this will be a cake walk or something. I seen enough of them at Ibrox to know they're a threat - they've nothing to lose. The Danes were pish against us and Willem I thought the 4-0 flattered us if I'm honest - but two fantastic results. 

I don't disagree with that but I don't like the idea of not taking it as seriously as we can either and starting Zungu for no other reason than to give him a chance is insanity in my eyes when there will be some canter domestic games we can do it in instead.

He might start. Gerrard surprises us all at times. But I'd be surprised.

Don't get me wrong I'm not up for starting anyone to give them a chance. If Gerrard has signed him as he is good enough and has been performing better in training than others then he justifies the start. If it's just starting him to see how he does then I'm not up for that. For me you earn your spot and if he has he should start.

I think Poznan isn't going to be an easy game they'll have players hungry to show they should get a place and they were a dirty team the last time we played them. For me Zungu would be the only guy coming in from the cold for this game and it's more down to saving Davis for the weekend. 

[Colin Traive 22,770]

1 hour ago, JackAlex93 said:

I'd make one or two changes for this game with an eye on Tannadice come Sunday. Sunday is huge. 

McLaughlin

Tavernier

Goldson

Balogun (Helander if fully recovered from Covid)

Bassey

Jack

Davis

Kamara

Kent

Morelos

Roofe

Spare Barisic, Arfield, Aribo, Shagger for Tannadice and get others off if game is secure.

[TMB 14,167]

You get 500k for winning the group.  You also get 500k for winning a game.  While we might not need to beat Poznan there's over £1m in prize money to play for.  I'd hope some fringe players like Itten and Zungu would get a start but maybe the club will take this game very seriously and go out to hammer Poznan and try to get that top spot.

[J-Maestro 11,097]

1 minute ago, Colin Traive said:

McLaughlin

Tavernier

Goldson

Balogun (Helander if fully recovered from Covid)

Bassey

Jack

Davis

Kamara

Kent

Morelos

Roofe

Spare Barisic, Arfield, Aribo, Shagger for Tannadice and get others off if game is secure.

Arfield and Barisic were both rested at the weekend.

[ShanksRFC 3,869]

McLaughlin

Tav Goldson Bassey Barisic 

Zungu Arfield Kamara

Roofe Itten Hagi

[GA1972 9,556]

27 minutes ago, ShanksRFC said:

McLaughlin

Tav Goldson Bassey Barisic 

Zungu Arfield Kamara

Roofe Itten Hagi

All for some players getting a chance tomorrow 

But there’s no way Bassey should be anywhere near starting at centre half especially in Europe 

[Big Al 55 9,252]

3 hours ago, British_Empire said:

Mental how many folk have Zungu in their wee dream XI's for an important European match when he's done nothing of note for us so far. 

You could literally have any 3 from Jack (if he's confirmed fit), Davis, Aribo, Arfield, Kamara and even Hagi - Zungu is down the pecking order in a massive match for us even in relation to changing it a wee bit.

By all means if we are winning and want to hold onto it bring him on and take someone off with Sunday at Tannadice in mind. Fine with that.

He’s a totally different player to Hagi or Arfield so that’s not relevant. I doubt a Jack will make it. I’d rather give Davis a rest. So comes down to Kamara or Zungu. I expect away from home we’ll go with both.

Jobs done, league is the priority.
 

We will need Zungu in the league undoubtedly, give him the game time and increase his match sharpness. It’s a no brainer

[southcoastbear 1,639]

2 hours ago, Amokachi said:

Agree re Tannadice being more important however these EL are giving us an opportunity to express ourselves in a completely different environment which the players are clearly enjoying. 

In our post EL domestic games we’ve carried the momentum on so I think a win is important as one seems to be the by product of the other atm.

 

All fair points but I just think it is vital to give key players and those with a history of fitness issues the rest they need whenever possible given our ongoing schedule and this European encounter is without doubt such an opportunity. 

Progress beyond the next round of the EL, given the standard of the opposition,  is going to be a close run thing at best regardless of if we win the remaining group game or not.