It’s not the end for this Rangers team..
Arfield gutted by exit but he’s confident they can thrive in the European arena SCOTT McDERMOTT
s.mcdermott@dailyrecord.co.uk up short at the very end when we just lacked a bit in the final third. But I genuinely feel this could be just the start despite the disappointment of losing.
“When we went to Marbella back in the summer we had seven new signings which quickly became 15, along with a new management team.
“It shows where we started from and how far we’ve come in a relatively short space of time.
“It has been a good journey. We’ve come within one game of making the knockout stage of the Europa League.
“It was just that bit in the final third we lacked and Rapid made us pay by showing us how to do it at the other end.
“We lost a man in the middle of the park when Kyle Lafferty came on to try to get us a goal.
“Up until then we had put all their fires out. But when we sacrificed a man they caught us on the counter-attack.
“We just couldn’t find that elusive goal. But that’s us had a taste of it now at this level.
“It has been a terrific experience going to Moscow, Villarreal and Vienna. Once you have sampled it you just want to do it again and again.”
Rangers had a legitimate goal chalked off in Russia against Spartak that could IN AUSTRIA have changed the dynamic of the group. And at home against Moscow and Villarreal there were chances to turn one point into three.
Arfield said: “There’s a tinge of regret, of course there is. You always look back – not just as a player but as a person.
“You always look at the negative aspects. Even if you’ve had a great game you look back at a bad pass.
“We’ve had chances in this group. Against Villarreal we could easily have got more home and away. The sending off in Spain changed things.
“And both games against Moscow were perfect for us to pick up more points. So there are games we’ll look back on with a bit of regret.
“But the bigger picture has to be the reality of how far we’ve come as a team. We’ve only lost twice in 14 games, both 1-0. We’re out of the competition but we’ve come a long way. “Everyone connected with the club, who has been on this journey, has to be proud.” With Gerrard’s men now out of the Europa League, having already lost a Betfred Cup semi-final to Aberdeen at Hampden, they have two trophies left to fight for. Despite two poor results against the Dons and Dundee in the Premiership recently, Rangers are still in the mix at the top of the table. They also begin their Scottish Cup campaign against Cowdenbeath next month. Arfield added: “There are two trophies left up for grabs. The main aim now has to be to win silverware. “In Europe we’ve had some late nights, getting back from Ufa at 4am or 5am. Coming back from Spartak and having to go again on a Sunday. “Now we can fully focus on this league and the Scottish Cup. “We’ll be right in there, giving it our all to be successful. “As a Rangers player you should be disappointed if you don’t win a trophy.”