Who has the 'momentum' heading into Scottish Cup final?
This isn't the one either want to be relying on, but it could be the one that effectively saves their season.Glasgow City have Champions League football to look forward to next term, but are trying to avoid back-to-back seasons without silverware.Rangers have the League Cup in the cabinet but lost out on the SWPL title and European football, so are vying for a domestic cup double once more.So, who's in better shape to salvage their season at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final.Former Scotland goalkeeper and co-commentator for Sunday's game, Gemma Fay, believes "the momentum" lies with her former club City.Leanne Ross' side comfortably saw off Hearts in the last league game of the season after effectively waving goodbye to their title hopes the week prior in a 2-2 draw with eventual league champions Hibs.The nine-time Scottish Cup winners were unbeaten in eight of their 10 post-split fixtures, though did suffer defeat to Rangers.However, Fay favours her old side to extend their record-breaking run in the competition."You've got Glasgow City going for their 10th title while Rangers are the defending champions," said Fay on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast."Then you put the league context against that, Rangers losing to Hibs last week. "They went into that game on a treble. They left not in Europe and with only a League Cup to show. Now, could you say this could rescue their season?"The fact they're not in Champions League football is huge, but a win on Sunday would ensure they go out on as much of a high as they can, especially after that disappointment last week."You'd have to say that in terms of form, Glasgow City are the form team."If you were asking me who could potentially edge that, the momentum is with Glasgow City at this moment in time, so they probably edge it in terms of favourites going into the game."
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Daily Record
a minute ago
- Daily Record
Russell Martin had two things to do at Rangers at the start of his reign and he did neither
Some of the manager's new signings visibly shrunk and slipped into their shell during a first-half horror show against Club Brugge "We've got to build the plane while we're flying it. Russell recognises that.' That's what Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart said when he appointed the club's new manager 77 days ago. The gaffer, Russell Martin, said it himself when he got the job. That he had to change the culture and mentality at Rangers - while winning at the same time. So far, he's had eight games and won three, one of which was against Alloa in the League Cup. It might be a small sample size and early days in Martin's tenure. But at this stage, neither he nor Stewart is delivering on what they claimed they had to do. And after in the Champions League play-off, fans have been left wondering what it is exactly they're trying to build. The plane is in danger of crashing before it's got off the ground. It's difficult to know where to start when assessing this Martin team's lack of tangible progression. But here's one. How can you build something that's solid, stable and for the long-term - when three of your back four are loan signings? One of them is £10 million Wolves man Nasser Djiga, who Rangers won't be able to afford in the summer. Another is Max Aarons who, right now, punters want shipped back to Bournemouth given his performances. It just doesn't make sense. And THAT is what's really putting Martin under pressure in the Ibrox hot-seat before the end of August. He might see it. But you can't fool these supporters. The manager praised Gers' second-half showing against Brugge, where they pulled a goal back at 3-0 down. But that can't mask the carnage of the first 45. Deciding to run about a bit more when a game is already lost is what this team has become renowned for in recent years. It's Martin's job to change that. He's trying to lead a culture shift at Ibrox and has already spent around £20 million to do it. Yet even some of his new signings visibly shrunk and slipped into their shell during a first-half horror show against the Belgians - when they were swallowed up by a toxic Ibrox atmosphere. That HAS to be a concern. If, as Martin said post-match, that the likes of Aarons, Joe Rothwell and others will have learnt from the Brugge battering and will emerge better for it - we'll surely see it on Sunday when they go to Paisley and see off St Mirren? Rangers fans won't be holding their breath on that one. The bottom line here is, Martin's side should be further down the road in their development by this stage, in terms of a system, patterns of play, defensive solidity and attacking threat. Deep down within himself he'll know that. He can talk about tactics and style of play until the cows come home. Ultimately, when you've spent what he has on new players - you should have more than enough to beat Motherwell and Dundee. Of course, he's helpless at times. Like when an experienced keeper like Jack Butland fails to take responsibility against Brugge after three minutes and sells a cheap goal. Or when his defence don't do their job at a corner, allowing the Belgians to score a second. And when Danilo is caught sleeping on the edge of the box and gets bullied by Brandon Mechele who made it 3-0. That's on players. Which leads you on to the bigger picture of recruitment. What's gone on before obviously isn't the manager or Kevin Thelwell's doing. The fact Rangers have spent circa £17 million on Nedim Bajrami, Ben Davies, Oscar Cortes, Ridvan Yilmaz and Rabbi Matondo - yet NONE of them are deemed good enough or fit enough for their European squad is criminal. But the jury is still out on the signings they've made this summer as well. To be fair, you have to exclude Djeidi Gassama who, almost immediately, has proved to be a terrific buy. He was the shining light against Brugge. The 21-year-old French winger, plucked from Sheffield Wednesday, is everything the fans want in a Rangers player. He plays with his heart on his sleeve. Gassama has an appetite for the game and is hungry to win. His level of intensity, tempo, aggression on the ball and willingness to take games by the scruff of the neck is something even Rangers players who have been there for years could learn from. The rest have still to prove their worth. And you can't help feeling that Martin could have gone about it a different way. His first signing of the summer should have been a new leader and captain. That's not a slight on James Tavernier, who's been an outstanding servant to Rangers for a decade. But if you're serious about changing a culture and mentality at a club, that's where it has to start. Martin needed big, new, experienced voices in the dressing-room and he hasn't got one yet. That would have set the tone for what followed. His next signing should have been a proven striker, which they've been crying out for long before now. Lawrence Shankland was a no-brainer on a free. And once Danilo, Cyriel Dessers or Hamza Igamane were sold on, another centre-forward should have been brought in. Those were two vital building blocks that had to be put in place early for them to get off to a flyer. It hasn't happened and because of that, the plane is still on the runway. And if doesn't start moving at St Mirren on Sunday or against Celtic next week - the pilot will probably encounter a level of turbulence he's never felt before.
The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
Transfer news live: Arsenal target new striker after huge injury blow, Liverpool's Isak stance, Eze to Spurs update
Arsenal are reportedly in the market for another new striker after a major injury blow to Kai Havertz. The transfer market is hotting up with one forward in the centre of the market, Alexander Isak, changing the tone of his saga late on Tuesday night with an explosive statement. He accused Newcastle United of 'broken promises' and 'lost trust' with Liverpool still strongly linked with a move for the Swedish striker. The Reds' offer of £110m fell well short of Newcastle's valuation with the deadline for the transfer window now fast approaching, but the player has three more years on his contract, retaining some leverage for Eddie Howe's side. The Premier League champions are still linked with Crystal Palace 's Marc Guehi, too, with the England defender a year away from becoming a free agent, though the FA Cup holders have stood firm on a valuation, despite the difficult situation. Eberechi Eze 's potential move to Tottenham Hotspur also dominates the closing stretch of the window, though the deal is edging closer with Palace negotiating a suitable payment structure in a deal worth more than £55m. Thi is perhaps a slightly surprising development – Galatasaray are pushing to sign Manuel Akanji. Akanji has become an integral part of Manchester City's defence, intelligent and versatile in what he offers across the back line. But Pep Guardiola is open to the move as he bids to reduce the City squad before the deadline, according to Fabrizio Romano. Negotiations underway but no agreements in place yet. Lawrence Ostlere20 August 2025 12:24 Fofana deletes Chelsea references from social media amid transfer speculation File this one under 'the way of the modern world', for better or worse... A lot of people are getting very excited because Wesley Fofana has deleted all references to Chelsea from his Instagram account. Fofana has struggled at Stamford Bridge since his £75m move from Leicester three years ago mainly due to injuries and was only on the bench for Chelsea's Premier League opener against Crystal Palace despite the absence of Levi Colwill – with youngster Josh Acheampong and Trevoh Chalobah preferred at centre-back. He has now sparked further rumours of a departure from the Blues by removing all mention of the club from his Instagram, in a similar move to the one employed by wantaway stars Alexander Isak (Newcastle) and Yoane Wissa (Brentford) this summer. Luke Baker20 August 2025 12:06 Man United want Sevilla star Carlos Baleba from Brighton may still be Ruben Amorim's preferred midfield general at Manchester United but Sevilla's Lucien Agoume is being lined up as an alternative. According to Spanish outlet Orgullobiri, Sevilla are asking for around £25m for the former France Under-21 star, which is less than the £35m release clause in his contract. The 23-year-old joined Sevilla in January 2024 after struggling at Inter Milan and was a regular as they narrowly escaped LaLiga relegation last season before impressing at the European Under-21 Championships this summer. Other Premier League sides are also said to be interested in Agoume, although Arsenal's previous interest is likely to have cooled after the signing of Martin Zubimendi. 20 August 2025 11:55 Dibling an option for Palace as Eze replacement We reported earlier that Crystal Palace have identified Leicester star Bilal El Khannouss as a replacement for Eberechi Eze should he complete his £60m move to Tottenham but the Eagles are also looking at other options. One of those is Southampton midfielder Tyler Dibling, according to talkSPORT. Dibling has attracted plenty of Premier League interest since Southampton's relegation to the Championship, with Everton having three bids turned down earlier in the window. The 19-year-old would be a more expensive option than El Khannouss, with the Saints valuing him at £45m+, but Palace are long-term admirers after having a bid rejected for him back in January. Luke Baker20 August 2025 11:40 Kiwior in talks to exit Arsenal Some Arsenal transfer news, with defender Jakub Kiwior in talks with Porto after a move to the Portuguese club. The 25-year-old Pole is seemingly surplus to requirements at the Emirates after the arrival of Christian Mosquera this summer and the proposed deal is a loan with an obligation to buy. According to Sky Sports News, the total package would be more than £23m, including the loan fee, which would represent a decent return for the Gunners who paid around £20m for Kiwior in 2023. DONE DEAL! Bailey leaves Villa Leon Bailey has left Aston Villa for a season-long loan with Roma. Villa confirmed that attacker Bailey has moved to the Serie A side, who have an option to permanently sign him for£19m. The 28-year-old joined Villa for £25m from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2021 and scored 22 goals for the club in 144 appearances. His best season was 2023-24 when he netted 14 times in 52 games in all competitions. Luke Baker20 August 2025 11:11 Leverkusen hijack Dortmund's Echeverri deal An interesting saga in the Bundesliga, where Dortmund appeared to have sewn up a loan deal for Manchester City wonderkid Claudio Echeverri, only for Leverkusen to step in at the last moment and whisk him away. Echeverri was signed by City two years ago but returned to boyhood club River Plate on loan and continued to thrive in Argentina, by all accounts. He has made a few appearances for City – in the FA Cup final, the Premier League and the Club World Cup, scoring in the latter, but Pep Guardiola now wants the 19-year-old to earn some game time elsewhere, and there are few better places than the Bundesliga to learn your trade. Lawrence Ostlere20 August 2025 10:41 El Khannouss a key part of Eze's Spurs transfer A key domino in this summer's transfer window is Bilal El Khannouss. The 21-year-old won a bunch of young player awards in Belgium before moving to Leicester City, and did well last season in the Premier League despite the club's relegation. Now Crystal Palace have identified El Khannouss as a replacement for Eberechi Eze, and they have 'made contact' with Leicester, reports the Athletic. If the Moroccan midfielder moves, that would pave the way for Eberechi Eze to depart Selhurst Park for Tottenham in a deal worth around £60m. Lawrence Ostlere20 August 2025 10:27 Leipzig contact Chelsea over Nkunku More on Christopher Nkunku, whose potential move to Bayern Munich has stalled, as mentioned below, per the Guardian. Well, the Athletic reports that RB Leipzig have started talks with Chelsea over bringing Nkunku back to the club where he spent four seasons before moving to Stamford Bridge. The deal is 'not close yet' but Nkunku is prepared to join Leipzig. Lawrence Ostlere20 August 2025 10:12
STV News
3 minutes ago
- STV News
John Souttar insists Rangers have belief they can turn Club Brugge tie around
Rangers defender John Souttar believes the club's recent form in Europe means they can travel to Bruges knowing they can rescue their Champions League hopes. A 3-1 first leg to Club Brugge at Ibrox means the play-off is very much in the hands of the Belgians, and Rangers would need victory by two goals even to force extra time in the tie. That's a tough task against a side who reached the last 16 of the Champions League last year. Souttar admits Rangers' first half showing on Tuesday, where they lost three goals in the first 20 minutes, was unacceptable but says they can take heart from a better performance after the break and that the tie is certainly not over. 'There is the belief,' the defender said. 'We have had big results in Europe away from home in the last few years so there is that belief but there is no point in saying it, we have to show it next week.' Reflecting on that dismal start to a huge game, Souttar said they had been stunned by early mistakes. Nasser Djiga made the wrong call to let Romeo Vermant run through on goal and lift a cool finish over a stranded Jack Butland after just three minutes and things went from bad to worse when Jorner Spillers scored after Christos Tzolis' corner. Brandon Mechele scored the third goal of an explosive start when he fired in a tremendous shot from outside the box after just twenty minutes. Souttar believes the reaction was good after the break but that the damage had been done. 'In the first half, I think we've actually shot ourselves in the foot,' the Scotland international said. 'How we started, when you give away goals that we did. I mean it makes any game difficult, but especially a game like that when there's so much at stake and when you're playing a team of that quality. 'Second-half, we were a bit better, obviously made them a bit more uncomfortable, but first half the damage was done 'I think you can plan for anything, but you can't plan for losing two goals like that. Especially on an occasion like that. It was up to us to to react and we did a bit second-half, but we got the goal back. 'We've got to go there next week and give everything and see what happens.' Rangers were booed off at half-time, and Souttar said that the early setbacks has robbed the side of the noisy backing that can be a huge positive on big nights at Ibrox. 'When we have had good European nights, Ibrox is a place where opposition teams don't feel comfortable and I think we gave them that comfort. 'So if you give teams that comfort, it is a lot easier for them to play out from the back and take that pass, that risk, be more relaxed, and we give them that luxury. 'And it's important when you have European games here that we get the crowd on our side, we make them uncomfortable, that is one of our biggest assets. 'So you see what happens when we don't do that.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
