All the hype over the past few months has centred on Joey Barton’s stunning transfer to Rangers. The English Championship’s player of the year was a truly left-field signing and captured the imagination of absolutely everyone in Scottish football, whether it was Rangers fans lauding it, or Celtic (and everyone else) fans hating on him.
However, much of that hype was generated by the player himself, in particular by goading Celtic’s Scott Brown over Twitter and mouthing off in general via that platform (and others).
But, while pleasing to the galleries up to a point for sure, it is absolutely critical to ignore it. This weekend is not about Joey Barton v Scott Brown. It is not about any one thing or player in particular.
This Saturday is about Rangers beating Celtic for the first time in the league since early 2012, and disproving present detractors, myself included, wrong about the struggles of our manager Mark Warburton and the underperforming players.
Rangers travel to Parkhead, an admittedly impressively hostile arena, to face off against the country’s best team. Let us not beat about the bush – they are the five in a row champions and leaps and bounds the best.
They are also in fairly solid form, with qualification to the UCL confirmed and straight wins in the SPL, which has led to them sadly overtaking Rangers.
But Rangers have a big point to prove, and my God I want them to prove it this weekend. The signing of Swiss centre-half Philippe Senderos has arguably given Rangers a defence, even if it looks, injury to Danny Wilson aside, that Rob Kiernan will be his long-term partner, and with that has come hope that the right foundations are now in place to build from and put together some consistent form.
Never a better place to do that than at Parkhead on a Saturday.
The fact is our East End opponents will be foaming at the mouths – from constant “you’re not Rangers any more” chants to the contradictory “same old Rangers, always cheating” ones, the hate-fest on display will make their hostility at Hampden look tepid.
This will be a pure sea of hatred, and it is what will separate Rangers’ men from our boys. It is not about any one player, Joey Barton or other; it is about our XI taking it to Celtic – a ‘dead’ team stuffing their lot on their own patch would be frankly delicious, and the ensuing meltdown would easily eclipse what happened at Hampden when Rogic skied his penalty.
Rangers have absolutely everything to prove – a stuttering start to life in the SPL has certainly curtailed a fair bit of the feel-good wave that promotion generated, and getting back on track with a colossal performance and the right tactical approach will inspire everyone of a Light Blue persuasion.
History beckons – take your chance, lads.
It's all your cup finals come at once . A chance to play a big team. Remember, Celtic have a much more important game to play on Tuesday night. In the great scheme of things it is just another league game. Hence , a draw. With one eye on Tuesday night it will give the Newbies a wee chance to dance a jog of joy at escaping with a point. Won't make one iota's worth of difference come May. Fully expect Warbiola to be sacked after the first round of games as Celtic will be 8-12 points in front and the hordes will be baying for blood.
Is that you Timalloy?Love your weekly installments on that Selic Banter page about your "ex bear pals" and the "suited bigot" lookin forward to next weeks installment. "Mrs T and the Suited Bigots (spit) Roast Dinner"Honestly troops you need to read some of that shit! Even his own mob are embarrassed with him.I'd advise you to get hame early from work Tim! The beef is getting served up on the kitchen table. LOL
If that's the case ask yourself why your on here commenting on Rangers. Again!
Wow, Timothy, congrats on being the first to post on a thread on a rangers site, it's as if you were sitting waiting on it??? – how sad, have you really nothing better to do, for example go to work (no wait), shower, bath etc??
Nothing but a win will do us at the weekend. The quandary Warbs has is defend and hit on break or take the game to them. Their fans will get on top of them the longer the game goes. It could work in our favour. Then we kick on from there…
Anytime a team attacks the beggars they concede goals. Get them stretched at the back (running in behind ).
Be prepared for a humping.
No let up this time, 3 nil h/t, 6 or 7 at the finish, our defence has been losing goals to Diddy teams ffs.
People are clinging onto the Israeli game away……forget it , they are at home and remember they took 5 off the Israelis who gave a much better defensive record than us.
Not only do we have a number of players making their debut, most of them have never played at Celtic Park.
This will be a major factor. Barton is out to make his mark on the game, not in a good way, and he will get sent off for sure.
If we are down to 10 before half time it could be a cricket score………prepare for the worst.
The upside is that King will be under pressure to release the £30m war chest in January, that will frighten the shit out of the Tims, unfortunately we will be 20 points behind by then.
In King We Trust. ……..my erchie
Stop talking $hite. We will outplay them like before. 3-1 Rangers.
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