Anti-Football

On Saturday Rangers played their third SPL game in seven days, the 3-1 defeat of Dundee at Ibrox leaves them four points behind Celtic in the competition for the SPL, but with two games in hand. Celtic have played 37 of their 38 games, and have enjoyed a relatively low intensity end to the season, the odds are that they will win their remaining game and leave Rangers under maximum pressure in their hunt for four titles.

According to Blue Square, Rangers remain the 4/6 favourites for claiming the title, with Strachan’s men at 11/10. Whether this is due to the weakness of Rangers’ opponents, a genuine belief in Rangers’ ability, or no small sense of romanticism amongst the football betting community.

Walter Smith’s success has been something of a double-edged sword. Right now, Rangers could be on the verge of one of the greatest achievements by a Scottish football team ever. On the other hand, Smith has to be worried that one poor performance could see everything start to come undone, leaving Rangers at the end of the season with nothing more than the Scottish league cup.

While exhaustion could end up having a significant impact on Rangers’ season and the eventual success that they enjoy, such an excuse is not available for their opposition. Zenit have cancelled four league matches to allow proper time to prepare for the final.

Like Rangers Zenit have enjoyed a fantastic season, lead by former Rangers coach Dick Advocaat. Having won the Russian League, and disposed of German giants Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen – as well as French side Marseille – along the way, the Russians find themselves as odds on favourite for the competition. It is a position that Advocaat enjoys, although casting Rangers as the underdogs might do the Scottish side a few favours.

If Rangers do enjoy success in Manchester, they will not be the first Rangers side to lift a European trophy, having won the Cup Winners Cup in 1972. Smith’s side have received a fair amount of criticism during their season, often being labelled with the dubious title of playing ‘anti-football’ whatever that may mean.

The criticisms though, as much as anything, might be something of a positive omen for the Glasgow giants. In ’72 when Rangers won the Cup Winners’ Cup they defeated Russian opposition in the form of Dinamo Moscow, Willie Waddell’s team were accused of playing negative, defensive, anti-football, during the campaign and even disposed of Sporting Lisbon on their route to the final.

At the end of the day, unfortunately, omens don’t mean all that much. Rangers will need a phenomenal effort to dispose of Zenit, but phenomenal effort is something that they are used to this season, and their grim determination not to be beaten, a determination tempered through a long hard season, may yet see them lift the trophy. Despite Zenit’s position as favourites, it’s never a good idea to bet against this Rangers team.

Sports Betting odds provided by Blue Square.