Soccer Football - Europa League - Group C - Aris Limassol v Rangers - Alphamega Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus - October 5, 2023 Rangers manager Michael Beale REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
The Steve Davis reign at Ibrox kicked off in style tonight with a 2-1 defeat from ARIS Limassol in the Europa League.
Last week Davo was sipping Guinness in Rome at the Ryder Cup as Micky Beale boasted about four wins on the bounce without conceding a goal.
Reality arrived at Ibrox on Saturday when Aberdeen won 3-1, Beale was sacked the next day with Davis and Alex Rae installed as the new management team.
The usual suspects were in the Starting XI, nine minutes into the match Alex Moucketou-Moussounda headed in from a corner to give ARIS the lead that their early play deserved.
ARIS had strong claims for a penalty denied on the stroke of half-time but doubled their lead in the 59th minute through Shavy Babicka after John Lundstram had been skinned for pace.
Abdallah Sima scored with a header in the 70th minute but the Cypriots hung on quite comfortably despite having to go through six minutes of stoppage time.
The group is now all square with four teams on three points, next up for Davis and Rae is a trip to Sparta Prague in three weeks time.
After the final whistle a number of loyal bears were challenging James Tavernier and others in the leadership group to come over and explain themselves.
This is just the second season that ARIS have played in Europe, last season they were knocked out in a Conference League qualifier.
“I know the players; their strengths and their weakness… We’re just trying to find the right platform that gives them the best possible chance to perform to the best ability” ?
Interim Rangers boss Steven Davis shares pre-match thoughts in Cyprus…@Becky_Ives_ | #UEL pic.twitter.com/P5gZCdZI4p
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 5, 2023
Oh The Sevco ARIS shite… Oh The Sevco ARIS shite…
Oh The Trophy room’s bare…
Oh it’s no Fcukin fair…
Cos there’s no silverware…
Up these marable stairs..
They’ll no need Mr Sheen…
Cos there’s Fcuk all to clean…
Oh The Trophy room’s bare…
And it’s no Fcukin fare !
Most of that sevco team need a good kick up the ARIS! 🙂
But, if the players can’t raise their performance levels in the game immediately
after their manager has been punted,
then what hope have Rae Davis?
[VAR and the ref will have to be incredibly ‘creative’ to deny the Buddies a win… ]
The laptop loyal thought this game was gonna be a gimme
They were all set to shoot their loads over their Northern Ireland staunch hero
Aye but The Sevco Board won’t be Spunking much in his direction after tonight for sure !!!
But,but all the daily sevco nickel&dime journalists had the game as a sevco win.
Now just how do they put the positive spin on it,no doubt they willl.
To slightly misquote Lord Blackadder, “I’m glad I wore my corset, for I fear my sides have split”. Sevco are the gift that just keeps on giving. They really are rank rotten. We’ll be involved in a title fight with St Mirren at this rate.
Thailand is 6hrs ahead of the UK, up at 1am UK time to feed my 9dogs and checked my phone for meg’s.
Mate in Pattaya had left message that the rangers had set another Scottish record.
Oh my giddy aunt, feel so chuffed this morning. 32’c at 9.42am Thailand.