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It's semi final time and our chance to get to the third final of the season. Like every other time before it looks unlikely but we were proved wrong each time previously. This time though there is real concern. Not only are we facing arguably our toughest opponents yet in this competition but we are without a number of players. Options are limited.
Suspended
Barry Ferguson
Kevin Thomson
Injured
DeMarcus Beasley
Charlie Adam
Allan McGregor
Lee McCulloch
Steven Naismith
Chris Burke
Possible
Kris Boyd (has the shits)
Basically our whole left side of midfield is gone and options are limited on the right. Added to there our strongest area, central midfield, has had the heart ripped out too. In midfield we are going to have a fairly inexperienced midfield or at the very least a midfield with a lack of playing time.
It's a game we have to win but that in itself will be hard. I really hope Walter is not going to play for a goalless draw but fear he will. I can't see us winning over in Florence so I really feel we have to take our chances here. Walter has been right every time so far though so I suppose there is no point questioning how he sets out. Away from home though I expect an onslaught like the one in Bremen.
I think it would be fair to say this is the weakest Serie a for many seasons. Inter look the part and Roma to some extent too but giants like Juve and particularly Milan have been unimpressive. Fiorentina though are having a good season. They look likely to keep Milan down in 5th while they cement 4th in the league. While doing this they remain the only Italian side left in European competition which even at this late end is very unusual.
They have grown stronger as the season has progressed and particularly as this competition has moved on. They were very close to not even making the group stages of the UEFA Cup after two 1:1 draws against midtable Eredivisie side took them to penalties. They came through that lottery to finish second in their group. This included creditable draws, by 1:1 again, at 1st place Villarreal and 3rd place AEK. At home they hammered Elfsborg 6:1 and eventually won 2:1 over Mlada Boleslav who were equal at one stage before Vieri got the winner.
In the round of 32 is was plain sailing beating Rosenborg home and away to go through. Everton provided stiffer oppostion in the next round. They had their 2:0 home win reversed at Goodison. Again penalties got them through. Much better was to follow in the last round though. PSV managed what could only be discribed as a lucky draw in Florence but inspired by Mutu they won 2:0 in Holland to dump Eredvisie leaders who had knocked out Spurs in the round before.
They have been a bit fragile on the road. In their last 6 matches in all competitions they have only 1 win and that was away to PSV. The defeats have come at Inter (0:2), Udinese (1:3), Napoli (0:2), Everton (0:2) and Siena (0:1). So it will be interesting to see if at Ibrox they set up not to lose like us and we get yet another 0:0 draw.
It's guaranteed Walter will stick with 4-5-1. We will surely be up for this one despite looking tired at the weekend. It a european semi final. If they can't get up for it then we will be in trouble. But of late results have been less than impressive. Let's hope we are about to pick up again.
Suspended
Barry Ferguson
Kevin Thomson
Injured
DeMarcus Beasley
Charlie Adam
Allan McGregor
Lee McCulloch
Steven Naismith
Chris Burke
Possible
Kris Boyd (has the shits)
Basically our whole left side of midfield is gone and options are limited on the right. Added to there our strongest area, central midfield, has had the heart ripped out too. In midfield we are going to have a fairly inexperienced midfield or at the very least a midfield with a lack of playing time.
It's a game we have to win but that in itself will be hard. I really hope Walter is not going to play for a goalless draw but fear he will. I can't see us winning over in Florence so I really feel we have to take our chances here. Walter has been right every time so far though so I suppose there is no point questioning how he sets out. Away from home though I expect an onslaught like the one in Bremen.
I think it would be fair to say this is the weakest Serie a for many seasons. Inter look the part and Roma to some extent too but giants like Juve and particularly Milan have been unimpressive. Fiorentina though are having a good season. They look likely to keep Milan down in 5th while they cement 4th in the league. While doing this they remain the only Italian side left in European competition which even at this late end is very unusual.
They have grown stronger as the season has progressed and particularly as this competition has moved on. They were very close to not even making the group stages of the UEFA Cup after two 1:1 draws against midtable Eredivisie side took them to penalties. They came through that lottery to finish second in their group. This included creditable draws, by 1:1 again, at 1st place Villarreal and 3rd place AEK. At home they hammered Elfsborg 6:1 and eventually won 2:1 over Mlada Boleslav who were equal at one stage before Vieri got the winner.
In the round of 32 is was plain sailing beating Rosenborg home and away to go through. Everton provided stiffer oppostion in the next round. They had their 2:0 home win reversed at Goodison. Again penalties got them through. Much better was to follow in the last round though. PSV managed what could only be discribed as a lucky draw in Florence but inspired by Mutu they won 2:0 in Holland to dump Eredvisie leaders who had knocked out Spurs in the round before.
They have been a bit fragile on the road. In their last 6 matches in all competitions they have only 1 win and that was away to PSV. The defeats have come at Inter (0:2), Udinese (1:3), Napoli (0:2), Everton (0:2) and Siena (0:1). So it will be interesting to see if at Ibrox they set up not to lose like us and we get yet another 0:0 draw.
It's guaranteed Walter will stick with 4-5-1. We will surely be up for this one despite looking tired at the weekend. It a european semi final. If they can't get up for it then we will be in trouble. But of late results have been less than impressive. Let's hope we are about to pick up again.