There’s a fair old whack to chew through after Friday’s night’s crushing of Dunfermline which went a little way towards improving the mood and easing the pressure on Rangers following such a torrid week.
5-0 was flattering to the visitors as Steven Gerrard’s side absolutely blew them away in a fashion that pointed to energy, hunger, and desire to ‘make amends’.
However, one thing was majorly telling here – the sheer number of changes.
This was not the Rangers side that won 55 or the one that failed miserably so far this season – this was much more akin to the Rangers side Ibrox Noise pled with Stevie to select, and which we didn’t believe he actually would.
In the end, he really did – Patterson and Bassey came in, as did Jack Simpson, while midfield saw a return for John Lundstram and attack saw Ianis Hagi start.
And there’s no secret that this younger, more vibrant Rangers, with just one player over 30 (McLaughlin in goal) and no one else even hitting 29, delivered exactly what we expected. Energy, movement, desire, belief, and hunger.
EVERYTHING the usual/older crop has been disgracefully lacking the whole season.
Sorry, but the Steven Davises, James Taverniers, Borna Barisics, Ryan Kents and Leon Baloguns of this squad can just take a little holiday thank you, until their energy is back or their desire.
Because the lack of guts from the above has been painful to watch, and while we certainly can’t omit Connor Goldson from this, he’s a selection we wouldn’t have made in a million years last night.
Aside him, the XI was fresh, hungry, alive and absolutely up for it.
Yes, it was the Paltry Pars and they’re bottom of the Championship, but that’s irrelevant – the older crop was guff against the Arabs as well and they’re bottom of the SPL.
Energy is a basic need in this Rangers team, and the usual suspects haven’t shown it.
The fringe players didn’t just shame the seniors, they made a compelling case for a bigger role this season as G-Mac admitted.
If Stevie goes back to his stale old pals for the trip to Armenia, and they fail to get a result or deliver much desire, it now becomes on the manager.
His deputies have laid down the gauntlet and we think it’s high time the fringe fellows got to be a real part of this football club.