Rangers v Zenit St. Petersberg

Really hope that the Ruskis beat Rangers tonight.

Never liked Rangers with their King Billy menality and masonic links, never picking Catholics (till Souness changed that a few years ago) and I have to say I am Celtic anyway.

Zenit are a top side and in Dick Advocaat they have a top class coach who knows the Rangers style through and through having also managed them a couple of seasons back.

I'm backing Rangers as they are proud to be British

Zenit all the way, although they're no better than Rangers really. Have never signed a black player and their manager refuses to do so for fear of upsetting the fans.

Is it possible for both teams to lose?

1-0 Zen....

Come on the Gers! Bollocks to the Fenian Hoops.

2-0. Goodnight Vienna.

2-0 Zen ...

Balls. Oh well. Blues to win on Friday and Ajax on Sunday - great weekend in store.

Bentley's Absurd Gait said:

Balls. Oh well. Blues to win on Friday and Ajax on Sunday - great weekend in store.

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Ha-ha! Fantastic! Blues to win on Friday and Rangers losing today - great week in store.

Here's my report for the match:

ZENIT ST. PETERSBURG ended the European dream for Rangers with a 2-0 win at the City of Manchester Stadium, winning their first ever UEFA Cup.

Rangers had beaten European heavy-weights Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina en route to the final playing what some had labelled “anti-football” and were not to change their game plan as they lined up in a 4-5-1 formation to face former coach Dick Advocaat and his Zenit side that were crowned Russian league Champions.

Zenit made the early movement, with their iconic playmaker Andrei Arshavin shooting narrowly wide in the 5th minute and Radek Sirl testing ‘keeper Neil Alexander with a free kick that took a difficult bounce. Zenit continued to mount the pressure, boxing Rangers into their own half, yet this came as no surprise to the Rangers faithful having watched the same occur throughout the tournament.

For all their early pressure, Zenit failed to make a break through with Thompson and the commanding Cuellar keeping them at bay. Aniukov went ever closer with a venomous effort that Alexander dealt with comfortably, yet on the half hour mark Rangers had succeeded in keeping it level.


The score remained level at half time, yet Rangers will feel lucky following a strong penalty shout after the ball clearly struck Broadfoot’s arm, yet the referee interpreted to be a ball-to-hand incident.

Rangers started the second half considerably more positive, and a clever passing move resulted in Darcheville testing the ‘keeper in the 56th minute before Rangers appealed for a penalty after the ball appeared to hit Denisov’s hand.

Arshavin will look back and feel he could’ve put Zenit ahead in the 65th minute, after he nicked the ball away from an approaching Neil Alexander to give himself a clear opportunity in goal, but his effort was tame and Sasa Papac recovered in time to head off the line.

The relief was temporary however, as Denisov exchanged passes with Arshavin and slotted the ball past Alexander to give Zenit the lead in the 72nd minute, breaking the hearts of the thousands that travelled from Glasgow.

Rangers responded by throwing caution to the wind, bringing on Lee McCulloch and Nacho Novo to try and salvage the game, with Kris Boyd joining them with 5 minutes to go, but with Rangers tiring with the congested fixture schedule taking it’s toll, it looked always looked unlikely.

Darcheville went close in the last minute, but Zenit added a second with the last kick of the game, Zyryanov ending their extraordinary cup run just short of glory.

Uxbridge Shrimper said:

Ha-ha! Fantastic! Blues to win on Friday and Rangers losing today - great week in store.

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Total cr@p. Siding with the racists to annoy me - I love your sincerity.

BLUEBLOOD said:

I'm backing Rangers as they are proud to be British

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Totally agree.

People in this country should be backing British teams.

We are an island, and what better geographical form could there be for a single nation state?

Would we break up our Army? Will we split up our territorial waters? Would we split the Pound or have a monetary union?

British people who back foreign teams against our own British teams in my opinion are short sighted sheep followers, with no sense of identity.

Aberdeen Shrimper said:

Total agree.

People should be backing British teams.

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Yeah, I am Southend and Celtic...:)

A great night indeed.

Hail! Hail! and Come on You (Southend) Blues!!!!

Bentley's Absurd Gait said:

Total cr@p. Siding with the racists to annoy me - I love your sincerity.

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Like not signing Catholics you mean?

That is most sincere isn't it?

Read Alex Ferguson's autobiography as to why he was bombed out of Ibrox as a player and made a scapegoat for a Scottish FA Cup Final defeat - his wife is a Catholic and it was frowned upon by the masons on the Rangers board.

Celtic are not perfect but they have never had a ban on signing players because of their religion and the great Jock Stein was a Protestant as well.

SUFC Forever said:

Yeah, I am Southend and Celtic...:)

A great night indeed.

Hail! Hail! and Come on You (Southend) Blues!!!!

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Git.....

:p

SUFC Forever said:

Like not signing Catholics you mean?

That is most sincere isn't it?

Read Alex Ferguson's autobiography as to why he was bombed out of Ibrox as a player and made a scapegoat for a Scottish FA Cup Final defeat - his wife is a Catholic and it was frowned upon by the masons on the Rangers board.

Celtic are not perfect but they have never had a ban on signing players because of their religion and the great Jock Stein was a Protestant as well.

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I'm not saying Rangers are perfect, far far from it. The sincerity comment is just for UB, and he knows why.

Aberdeen Shrimper said:

Totally agree.

People in this country should be backing British teams.

We are an island, and what better geographical form could there be for a single nation state?

Would we break up our Army? Will we split up our territorial waters? Would we split the Pound or have a monetary union?

British people who back foreign teams against our own British teams in my opinion are short sighted sheep followers, with no sense of identity.

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So would you be backing Col Ewe if they were in a European Final then?

Sorry, I am trying to keep a straight face when writing this...:)

Unlucky Rangers however i think the Scottish FA could've done them a favour by postponing thier game on Saturday considering they had a cup final in just 4 days (Zenit didn't have a game at the weekend). But oh well it looks like they will have to settle for the treble this year lol

SUFC Forever said:

So would you be backing Col Ewe if they were in a European Final then?

Sorry, I am trying to keep a straight face when writing this...:)

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I am taking the 5th on that question

:zip: