It’s been a season of stops and starts yet we find ourselves in quite a healthy domestic position. Top of the league, with a four point advantage over the team most likely to be our nearest challengers, is something we all would have taken quite happily at the season start.
But there is no doubt it should be better and there is also no doubt this team is missing the confidence of last season.
There is also no doubts that we have levels to go up and in that manner we can be positive and happy. What we are seeing isn’t quite there however. Form isn’t there individually and collectively, at some points we have looked ok and getting there, at others we look like the team that ended season 19/20 so abruptly.
The form has been stuttering and the formidable defence looks vulnerable to extremely soft goals. The blistering attack has slowed with just one goal from open play now in the last five games. There is no stand out performer and the team look sluggish at times. At others periods we look not half bad but that hasn’t been consistent enough.
There is rightly people asking about the form of Borna or Steven Davis, are they burnt out? Is Jack Simpson good enough? Is Alfredo Morelos capable of getting his form back? Well we are going to find out and find out pretty soon because the big games keep coming along. What is true is that at the moment, several of the players, not just those above, are way short of the required levels.
I’ve spoken before about the context of that and that is always applicable, Covid for example, injuries another but at the end of the day we should be producing better. But again there is that word, context, and the context here is we are still doing just about ok.
Sure I’d like us to be playing better, I’d like us to be hitting numbers and our stride in games quicker ,but I remain hopeful it will come. Individually quite a few have levels to try and find so that remains a positive.
Of course there is question marks over some players form and also some players ability. Are the new signings good enough? Well we will find out but they certainly need more than just a few months and a handful of minutes. I can certainly understand the negativity but for me we must allow that situation to develop more.
This team and squad have quite a bit to go before we can say we are on form so that has to be encouraging.
But we need more, the full backs have to find their attacking prowess once more. The defence needs to tighten and the midfield need to bite and press. Up front we need a talisman to begin to stride clear in numbers, in fact we need Alfredo firing back as soon as possible.
I certainly won’t sit and try to make it sound better than it is but there is context and I do acknowledge that. So hopefully that stride will come and come quickly because I can’t help but feel if we manage it then we could suddenly find ourselves stretching clear.
We won’t win the league early like last season in my opinion, but a run of consistency could just put enough daylight between us and the rest to make catching us quite a job.
So kick on Rangers, find your groove because with that you may just find your ambitions are there for you. The time to wake up however is now, the last thing you want is to do that too late and suddenly find we are chasing.
The question of who gets into Ibrox has reared it’s head this week, on the back of the decision to block the admission of Chris Sutton and Neil Lennon. Before I say my bit on that, just what exactly are BT Sport thinking? Are they deliberately trying to damage the relationship with the club?
A move clearly designed to cause issues or at very least by someone with absolutely no clue. Did they predict our clubs response and do it for headlines?
Let’s get one thing straight, Glasgow is a city of rivalry and we have that. Some players are simply not welcome, others are mocked and in general we keep ourselves apart. Then there are others who use the rivalry and play on it, then there are those that constantly bait and overstep the mark, Sutton and Lennon are the latter.
Why should we allow them to come to our stadium?
They haven’t offered us respect in the past, there are so many incidents I could highlight, Pedro Caixinha, Derek Johnstone, Spitting on scarfs and Orange Bastard shouts, take your pick really.
They aren’t welcome and our board are absolutely correct.
But here is where the agenda and bollocks that followed becomes so transparent. Spiers, Dornan, McLaughlin etc all come out saying their bit and it’s the same faux outrage from the usual suspects, the useful Rangers hating idiots. A narrative and agenda so clear, it’s because it’s Rangers.
So save us the crap that has come, the reasons are absolutely sound but the bottom line is clearer, they aren’t welcome.
Let’s send Nacho Novo down to Parkhead and see what happens then? Because a smile tipped them over the edge the season before.
It’s a rivalry. They aren’t welcome. The end.
Finally it’s Livi up next this evening and you will find a match report here as soon as the full time whistle sounds. I have been incredibly fortunate to have a small taste of press access this season and that has meant media access at Ibrox.
The media team at Ibrox have made me extremely welcome and the staff have all went out their way to assist me so I am extremely fortunate. That allows me to sit in the gantry and report ‘live’ as such.
I hope that people are enjoying the reports, written as live with pre match news, HT and FT summary with bullet point minute by minute updates. It’s something that I really enjoy and that recognition from the club is something I am extremely grateful for.
It’s been quite a evolution since I began this. From signings and team news, to developing into something completely different. It possibly isn’t as exciting as the breaking news or signings but our club has changed in that regard, for the better actually. I thank you all for sticking with me, when I started I think I was the only Rangers blog going, now there are so many which is brilliant for fan media.
So tonight against Livingston, hopefully people will enjoy the report and hopefully it’s discussing a strong performance and victory.
There is a lot of questions and as fans we have a lot to wonder and consider, but the fact is we are in an extremely good position. If we can find our form then we will be in an even better one because we are Champions and the team to stop. That’s the positive and it’s also the reality.
Good luck to the team and management this evening, time to kick start the form and get going, do that and no one will stop us.
Ignore the nonsense, the irrelevant and the noise
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Four Lads Had A Dream 