‘Sink or swim’ – Jo Potter shares Champions League verdict for Rangers Women

Jo Potter has insisted it is sink or swim for her Rangers side ahead of the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers against Arsenal.

The Gers take on the Gunners on 4 September in tournament three of the qualifying rounds to reach the group stages, with a final match against Atlético Madrid or Rosenborg as their reward for a victory.

Rangers Women completed the perfect preparation with a 10-0 win over Dundee United as Potter’s side moved two points clear at the SWPL summit. [Rangers, 1 September].

Speaking to RangersTV, as shared by Forbes (3 September), Potter said: “You go out at this stage, you’re done. It’s kind of a sink-or-swim stage for us.

“We’ve been back in our season for a few weeks now, we’re not in pre-season now. We’ve got to make sure that we use that to our advantage as well.

“(Arsenal have) been at the forefront of the women’s game for such a long time, they do everything right.”

Rangers Women in red-hot form ahead of Arsenal test

Starting a league season unbeaten with five straight victories is one thing, but to do so by scoring 43 goals and not conceding a single one is on another level.

However, that’s the electrifying rate at which Potter’s side has kicked off their campaign, and such dominance could prove to either be a help or a hindrance before her side faces Arsenal.

A 10-0 victory isn’t even the biggest recorded by the Gers so far this season – that was an 11-0 thrashing of Aberdeen on the opening weekend – but the lack of competitiveness may not be the best of omens.

Arsenal, finishing third in the England Women’s Super League last season, have nearly two decades of experience playing in the Champions League, and will undoubtedly be the Gers’ toughest test yet.

Philippe Clement’s men’s side fell at the penultimate hurdle against Dynamo Kyiv in their bid to reach the group stages of the Champions League, and Potter’s side can go one better by upsetting Arsenal on Wednesday.

Rangers star is accused by Keith Jackson of “throwing in the towel” against Celtic

Following Sunday’s disappointing 3-0 loss to Celtic, Rangers captain James Tavernier was accused by Keith Jackson of “throwing in the towel” (1 September).

With all the pressure Philippe Clement is already under at Ibrox, the defeat to Celtic, their Old Firm rivals, will not help him at all.

Tavernier, who was rumoured to be leaving Ibrox during the summer transfer window, has been praised for his play and has managed to hold onto his position this year.

“The truth is – as unpalatable as it may be for them to swallow – is that these fans are now on the point of throwing in the towel, in the same way, that captain Tavernier did yesterday afternoon while his team was being taken apart by the neighbours,” Jackson wrote in a piece published by the Daily Record on Monday, September 2.

After Rangers vs. Celtic, James Tavernier bears the majority of the blame.

Tavernier shouldn’t mind being singled out by the media and supporters because he is the club captain.

After switching from Wigan to the Gers in the summer of 2015, the 32-year-old has committed nearly ten years of his life to the team, but it appears that his time there is running out.

Many supporters thought the right-back would be leaving Ibrox this summer after clubs approached him, but he is still a member of Clement’s starting lineup.

Fans are frustrated by Dujon Sterling’s involvement because they feel that he should be playing midfield to gain experience rather than starting at full-back.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement

Although Tavernier has received harsh criticism for yet another appalling performance, the manager ought to bear the majority of the guilt as he has ready his team to play at Celtic Park against Brenden Rodgers’ squad.

The fierce supporters of the Gers have every right to be worried about their chances of winning the Scottish Premiership title already, as the team has only triumphed once against their Old Firm rivals in the previous 12 meetings.