Rangers 2 vs. Villareal 2 - Feb. 22/2006

GREAT RESULT OR LUCKY ESCAPE?? Have you made your mind up? For me it was a great result, ever the optomist eh! We were the underdogs before the match and it showed in the first 20 mins where they scored 1 and could have had a couple more!! At this stage i was for hiding behind the settee BUT thats when things started to change. We all of a sudden started finding wee Burkey and there is just somthing about that boy that ignites when he has the ball and chances soon started commin. Queue Lovenpants, how can 1 man be so inept one minute and, to quote Martin O'Neil, EXTRAORDINARALY brilliant the next!! For me this upped our tempo and desire and we played the better of the first half after that.

Second half we were outpassed and outplayed by a good Villa Real side but we played with a certian pride and passion that is very encouraging for the second leg. To finish 2-2 some might think we were lucky, deflected own goal and all, but IMO there "Offside" goal should never have stood either and i do no thats the rules but the rules are wrong and will be changed before next season.

Anyway to break it down, here's my Man by Man:-

Mullet :- Gives me the heebie geebies every time he leaves his line but made a couple of good saves and had no chance for the goals.
Verdict :- 7

Hutton :- Defended bravley and merited his inclusion supported Burke well and didnt put a foot wrong. Another long range effort too!!
Verdict :- 8

J Rod :- Queit but effective, did the easy things well and handled there strikers runs admirably.
Verdict :- 7

Soti :- Like Lovenpants, turns it on for the big game only. Boy did he turn it on tho. Last dich tackles, running blocks and decent distrubution. Pushed Burkey for man of the match IMO.
Verdict :- 9

Smith :- Was caught out 2 or 3 times defensivley but will benefit greatly from the experience. His foraging runs to support the attack tho were great and the wee lad came fairly whip in a cross.
Verdict :- 7

Burkey :- Played on the big stage with the big boys and came out well on top. Scared some of the most experienced players in europe out of there wits. You just know that somthings gonna happen when he gets the ball!!
Verdict :- 9 (Motm. Can somone else please take this from him for a change)

Hemdani :- Given the holding and spoiling roll and did it well. Covered a lot of ground. Still think there's more to come from him tho.
Verdict :- 7

Bazza :- Showed glimpses of his old self with some fine runs from midfield and nearly got onto a couple of great moves. More to come from our captian but the signs are good.
Verdict :- 7

Namouchi :- Surprise inclusion. (Can see Eck's thinking, of bulking up the midfield, but would have prefered Buffel here.) As ever he does the hard stuff brilliantly and the easy stuff naff. Good work rate and effort tho.
Verdict :- 7

Lovenpants :- Absolute SCREAMER. This goal will be shown on Rangers videos for a long time. Did a dissappearing act after that but hey, who cares!
Verdict :- 7

Prso :- My god!!! What was he thinking??? Dont think we'll ever no the answer to that one. Played a good game after that with some great fick on's and hold up play. Will be sorley missed for the return leg.
Verdict :- 7

Big Eck :- Better lucky than good? Made a couple of surprising changes from Saturday but they payed off.
Verdict :- 7

Conclusion for this is that we are still in with a good chance of progressing and what more could we ask. IMO Villa Real are beatable and from previous CL games are more so when at home.

Keep Believing
WATP