The first leg of Rangers v Ufa was supposed to be routine at Ibrox.
Fans had visions of taking several goals to Eastern Russia with the prospect of the first Old Firm only three days later at Parkhead.
But things rarely turn out how we plan.
Whilst it would’ve been nice to take a comfortable lead to Russia, Rangers should be commended for squeezing out a 1-0 victory in a tough leg. It’s incredible there’s an air of disappointment despite what is a massive result in Europe.
Fans have woke-up to the challenge facing the team in the next fortnight.
A lot of football played already, but encouraging signs
It’s unusual, certainly for Rangers in recent years, to have played so much football in such a short period of time. Couple that with the revolving door and 12 new players and the job done by Gerrard and co to settle the ship really is impressive.
It’s still early doors and fans must be patient. In the run up to Ufa we were spoilt with top class performances. We expected more. What we got, make no mistake, was more than enough.
Few Rangers fans would’ve believed we’d have got this far last season, let alone commanded the game.
Gerrard calls for heroes and warriors
Steven Gerrard has called for “heroes and warriors” in the return Rangers v Ufa game next week.
He was disappointed with the first half showing, saying Rangers felt down a gear from recent matches. Fans will generally agree, but it shows how far Rangers have come in recent weeks. This is a massive step for the Ibrox club and a fledgling side.
To echo Steven’s statements, Rangers need to do “whatever it takes” next week.
The fans need to temper expectations and get their feet back on the ground.
There’s much work to be done yet.
