Rangers have to score goals and they have to score them early, it’s simply the only approach that we can take going into tonight’s game with Union Saint-Gilloise.
After the first-leg, there were no excuses about key players being missing or a hideous penalty decision but that the 90 minute display just wasn’t good enough – both the manager and players having to take a long, hard look at themselves in the post-match analysis.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst has already said that we will see a “different team“, hardly a surprise given how dismal we were in Belgium, but there is also a chance, albeit a slim one, that we could see the return of two of our best and most influential players for what is sure to be a blockbuster night at Ibrox.
This is who I hope the gaffer will go with to create history and drag us into the play-off round:
We’ve had a different defence in each of our three games this season so we need to start to get a bit of consistency at the back and minimise changes, even if Borna Barisic comes on for Ridvan Yilmaz later on. What the Turkey international will offer is a greater attacking intent than Barisic and given how ofter James Tavernier gets himself into the right position at the back post, the Gers skipper for first goalscorer isn’t a bad shout.
In midfield, I wouldn’t be surprised if Glen Kamara starts seeing as he didn’t feature at all at the weekend but Steven Davis’s performance proved that he could be the difference in this type of game. We don’t need him to start every game but he is more than capable of playing again and let him rest at the weekend.
With Ryan Kent, I hope it’s been a case that he was fit enough for the weekend but they’ve decided to give him the extra time off. As it was an ankle knock rather than a muscle strain, he should be good to go from the start with the help of painkillers and a bit of tape, if not, Rabbi Matondo has to be given a chance from his favoured left-hand side.
Malik Tillman was as good as anyone on the park against Kilmarnock, as was Tom Lawrence and the Welshman could be a decent option on the right given that he is more likely to cut inside and allow Tavernier more space on the outside. In the first-leg, Matondo and Tavernier were getting in each other’s way.
The big question will be about Alfredo Morelos. If he’s fit, he starts, however, Antonio Colak’s confidence will be high after a good goal at the weekend and we started to see more link-up play with the players around him, having El Bufalo on the bench won’t be a bad option if we get a goal back or are, even better, level with an hour on the clock.
It’s the proverbial uphill battle but this squad has been there and done it before, producing two goal victories – or better – against Braga, Red Star Belgrade and RB Leipzig in last season’s Europa League – anything is possible.