The build up to tonight’s massive clash starts on this thread now.
We’re live on BT Sport with a 7.45pm kick-off.
What’s your preferred team @Bandage?
I’m going
Gordon
Matthews* Denayer Virgil Izaguirre
Brown Bitton**
GMS Johansen Armstrong
Griffiths
- presuming he is fit
** he turned out to be not injured but he played the other night against Belgium and it’s a bit strange that we let Henderson go when we are now compelled to play Bitton in every game.
What’s the deal with Mulgrew by the way? Don’t really rate him in this sort of lineup but we could do with him being available to give breaks to one or two players over the run-in.
[QUOTE=“Rocko, post: 1117336, member: 1”]What’s your preferred team @Bandage?
I’m going
Gordon
Matthews* Denayer Virgil Izaguirre
Brown Bitton**
GMS Johansen Armstrong
Griffiths
- presuming he is fit
** he turned out to be not injured but he played the other night against Belgium and it’s a bit strange that we let Henderson go when we are now compelled to play Bitton in every game.
What’s the deal with Mulgrew by the way? Don’t really rate him in this sort of lineup but we could do with him being available to give breaks to one or two players over the run-in.[/QUOTE]
I’d go for the same team as that. I think Lustig is back in training and is a better player than Matthews but he’s probably not ready to start.
Mulgrew was pictured training with the squad during the week but, again, I don’t know how close he is to being fully fit.
Ambrose has done fine in deputising for the injured right backs by the way. Well done, Efe. 
@Rocko, I’m hearing that Bitton may be left out tonight having played for Israel against Belgium on Tuesday night. He only arrived back on Wednesday night.
Team:
Gordon;
Matthews, Denayer, Van Dijk, Izaguirre;
Brown, Johansen;
Forrest, Commons, Armstrong;
Stokes.
Subs: Zaluska, Ambrose, Bitton, Mackay-Steven, Guidetti, Griffiths, McGregor.
Interesting to see Stokes get the nod to play upfront. Bitton rested and Mackay-Steven surprisingly left out too.
Hmmm, slightly strange selection:
Gordon;
Matthews, Denayer, van Dijk, Izaguirre;
Brown, Johansen;
Forrest, Commons, Armstrong;
Stokes
Subs: Zaluska; Ambrose, Bitton, Mackay-Steven, Guidetti, Griffiths, McGregor
Big Chris Sutton interviewing Ronny Deila after all the shit he’s come out with this season. 
“Do you want Rangers to be promoted?”
“I’ve always said I want the best teams in the league. Right now Rangers aren’t one of them.”
I’ve never been a fan of Johansen in the deeper midfield role. We lost at home to St Johnstone the last time he played there. I believe we’ve 6 games in the next 19 days and we need to keep players involved and match fit as Armstrong and Mackay-Steven are cup-tied for the semi-final on April 19th.
Yeah leaving GMS out is particularly strange as he didn’t have any international involvement and has been in great form.
Griffiths having a Tunnock’s Tea Cake!
Camera was on Griffiths on the bench as Derek Rae and Gary McAllister in commentary discussed him being left out for Stokes. Next thing Griffiths dipped into his tracksuit pocket and pulled out a Tunnock’s Tea Cake before wolfing it down.
Forrest really needs to work on taking his man on earlier. He gets the ball into feet and spends too long telegraphing what he’s going to do before taking his man on around the outside. It works for him sometimes because of his pace but usually the defender has had time to turn and they can just ease him out. If his first touch was to knock the ball beyond the full back he’d get behind a lot more, or win many more free kicks.
Is Jim Goodwin wearing shoes?
Commons should have buried that chance. Best move we’ve put together so far.
Disappointing first half hour.
Forrest has been dreadful. Passing has been poor and we’re lacking our usual shape without Bitton there. Johansen playing between Brown and the attacking midfielders, not alongside Brown.
Better run off the ball from Forrest, should be sticking that away though.
Difference in players there. Johansen runs past his man, shrugs him off it and lays it inside to Forrest who runs into traffic and gets knocked over.
Armstrong has also given the ball away cheaply a few times too but set up Commons nicely for the best chance. It’s been fairly poor all round, even though Commons and Forrest missed great opportunities. I think Johansen has been fine but we’re a bit sluggish generally and not moving it crisply enough.
Worst performance in a while. Just strolling through it too much. Stokes is probably a bit frustrated but he’s drifting too much and crowding the space. Neither Armstrong nor Forrest have done well. Armstrong with some sloppy touches and a bit too quiet, Forrest just too predictable and weak on the ball. Would be bringing GMS on for Forrest. Surprised at how little we’ve seen of Denayer and Virgil bringing the ball forward. There’s plenty of space for them to step into, particularly with no Bitton there, but we’re relying a bit on Brown doing the creating and that’s not his strongest trait.
Better tempo in our start to the second half.