Are Rangers ready to win the SPL?

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Are Rangers ready to win the SPL?


It’s the afternoon after the afternoon before, and we’re all still blissfully floating on a sea of Blue after Rangers’ amazing win over Celtic, a result which shook Scottish football to its core.

But how do we try to balance an assessment of where this team and manager now are?

Let’s start here by being grounded – “Dangerous December” is now over and we can’t say the overall performance was spectacular.

Draws with Hibs twice, a hideous draw at Dundee and losses to Aberdeen and Rapid saw, until yesterday, a very mixed bag with only three wins of all eight fixtures.

It wasn’t great by any stretch, and we must remember that before we leap to any conclusions after yesterday’s win.

It’s more than forgivable that we all got excited and carried away after what was, admittedly, our best performance under Steven Gerrard and probably our best performance since 2012’s win over the same team – in truth it was a far superior display to that one, which in itself was an outstanding 3-2 win.

And that’s where we have to balance caution and optimism.

This win was seismic – this win showed how good this Rangers can be when the tactics are right, the players show up and everyone pulls together. However, doing that week-in-week-out is how champions-elect are borne and for Rangers to now build on this requires a strong January as well when it all resumes in three weeks.

Celtic have been masters of keeping the consistency going, but the chinks in their armour have been vast this season, and this time they were unable to raise their game at Ibrox – in truth, Rangers’ own tactics and incredible hard work were a major reason why. Rangers stopped Celtic as much as Celtic didn’t deliver.

However, for us to be convinced our Rangers are capable of winning the league requires more than one win – we have shown we are capable now – but to be realistic we must remember we’ve not yet beaten Aberdeen or Hibs at all this season, and the top of the table is so tight that no one should count any chickens.

The season is a marathon, and with January additions Rangers can certainly lead the pack for it – but as superb as that win yesterday was, let’s not get too carried away with pretentions on the title.

It’s possible. More possible than it’s been since we last won the thing.

But for Rangers to take the next step requires more than just beating our rivals. It means beating everyone, more often than not.

It can be done, and if the spirit of that Old Firm win can be cultivated more often than not, it will.

Because no one wants 10IAR.

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13 COMMENTS

  1. December was tough but January/February could potentially be tougher for us, if you compare the our games and the mhanks upcoming games we definitely have the tougher fixtures. We need to go into them with the same attitude as yesterday and hopefully a couple of quality additions to the squad! 55 is on!

  2. If they play like that in every game add a couple of players and take all of those chances that they missed yesterday they will have a chance,and we are going to need a striker because the bheggars and the media have highlighted everything the buffalo done in that match and he is going to get a ban,get your money on that.

  3. If we invest we can do damage. We need two more Ryan Kent type players. Play makers if you will. And and a really good striker. And a really good left back and right back. All of really good quality. But that costs so I know that's the challenge. I'm not worried about Brenda's signings as he usually wastes money on dross.

    • You think we can get a better right back than Tavernier or Flanagan. An England cap and the top assister in the league who also hasn't missed a penalty all season? Who, and how much do you think they will cost?

      At Left back we have Barisic, an international, Wallace, an international and yesterday's MOTM. So, again to replace with really good quality who and how much. And a really good striker? Liverpool's 6th choice is on £20,000 a week and hasn't played this season. So what would a really good striker cost? £50 million and £100,000 a week, at least. Unless you have a secret plan?

      I would take Solanke if we can get him, Shankland if we can't. We can afford him. I would try for a playmaker/No 10 if we can get one. Or if we can get a striker, try Morelos as No 10. It would give him looser marking, he can still hold ball up, he makes good runs and can play a pass.

      Martin, I don't mean the above as criticism, I acknowledge that you know good players cost. I agree with you about the front end, not the fullbacks though.
      I believe Lewis McLeod is out of contract in the summer. He never wanted to leave. Don't remember if he is a playmaker but he would be a better option than Davis who is now a DM.

      As you say, I wouldn't lose sleep over their signings. Brenda can always make them worse 🙂

  4. 3 players short at the moment I would say. creative midfielder, a striker and another attacker with an eye for goal. if we manage to sign them in January have a great chance. don't and I can't see us being consistent enough or having enough goals in our team to win it

  5. i really really hope so (but just remember where we have come from) trying to stay grounded…. (BUT) REALLY REALLY HOPE SO

  6. Don’t think we will win the league, hope I am wrong, we are dropping to many points from winning positions example 1 up at Aberdeen with five minutes to go and the same against Hibernian and there were others which I can’t remember.

  7. Yesterday was fantastic but it hasn't changed my thoughts before the match that we won't win the league but will finish comfortably in 2nd place. Yesterday wasn't about the 3 points or our league position. It was about proving to ourselves that we can beat them comfortably when we pull together. It was an important staging post on our way back, just as going top of the league was a few weeks ago. But then again get a few of the right type of player in during January and who knows.

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