Smith upbeat for Kaunas qualifier
Rangers manager Walter Smith is optimistic everything will click in the second leg of his team's Champions League qualifier against Kaunas.
However, Smith is well aware that the Ibrox side must raise their game after the goalless first game at home.
"I'm hopeful we can do enough to make sure we get the goal or goals that are required to go through," he said.
"We've got to attempt - in a better manner than we've been doing - to get back to the form of last year."
Rangers, who reached the Uefa Cup Final last season, are likely to play Danish side Aalborg in the final qualifying round if they progress.
Smith is hoping that his players will rise to the occasion and move a step closer to the Champions League group stage.
"We have the situation here where we have to allow for the fact that we had quite a strenuous end to last season," he said.
"It's taken us a little bit of time to get into our game. I'm hoping that the obvious importance of this one will kick-start us, and I think it will.
"I think the players themselves are aware that we have to step up our level and hopefully we'll do that."
The Ibrox manager believes his players may be struggling to hit the heights again after excelling in European competition last season.
"There may be a bit of that but we can't allow anything like that to affect us," said Smith,
"Yes, for a team starting out they had a terrific season, and the thing about being a decent team is you've got to make sure you can repeat that the season after.
"It would take a high level of performance to do so, but they've got to try and reach that level."
However, Rangers will have to cope without Spanish defender Carlos Cuellar, who travelled with the squad but is not fit enough to play after a calf injury.
"He has no chance of playing," said Smith.
"He's been doing a bit of training and was keen to come along to the game. It's as well he comes and gets a bit of training with us. He's just not quite ready to play yet.
"I think by the way he played last season any team would miss him. But Kirk Broadfoot's come in and played very well with Davie Weir in the games we've had in pre-season."
