Rangers on ‘hiding to nothing’ against Dumbarton

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Rangers on ‘hiding to nothing’ against Dumbarton
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 30: Rangers manager Philippe Clement (l) reacts as Celtic Manager Brendon Rodgers looks on during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Rangers FC at Celtic Park Stadium on December 30, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

It’s no exaggeration to say Dumbarton are probably the worst team Rangers have faced competitively in many, many seasons.

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League Two minnows, and not even able to use their first-choice goalie in this one because he’s on loan from Rangers, the Sons host the Famous tomorrow evening in what offers a no-win situation for the visiting side.

Rangers are fully expected to go to Dumbarton Football Stadium (catchy, right) and absolutely rout the opponent.

The hosts are a literal, with all due respect to them, diddy side – they are cannon-fodder. And the Mighty Rangers really should be able to put 10 past a side of this calibre.

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But the club would get no praise for that, nor should it.

But if it’s anything notably less, the knives may well be out.

Rangers’ performances in the winter friendlies were ghastly to well-below-average. It wasn’t great throughout the team, with just Balogun and Ridvan arguably escaping either match with pass marks.

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And with the club’s historically noted non-return to form after the winter break a big shadow, this one actually represents a gigantic banana skin.

This will literally be the backside of Scotland, a truly grass roots lower league SPFL side that is barely above the juniors in level.

The Famous Rangers FC should be pummelling this.

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Only, we know it won’t happen. We know our team will play boring football, will struggle to score goals, and the Sons will sit in a low block for 90 minutes fighting for their lives to get to extra time and penalties. Or a miracle win.

This will not be pretty football, and Rangers will struggle to break the hosts down.

While it should be 10 goals, we’d be lucky if it’s as many as three.

Think Annan a couple of seasons ago, we struggled there with a fringe squad and could only muster a few goals.

Much the same will happen tomorrow, regardless of the starting XI.

And while a win is a win, a bland, flat boring win in the *rse end of Scottish football won’t persuade anyone that Rangers’ form is back and there’s no winter blues.

But hey, maybe we’ll play like Citeh and score 20. Who are we to judge…

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