Clement is returning the feel good factor

What if?

I’ve found myself asking that a lot these last few days and again tonight I ponder that very question.

Fourladshadadream is six years old this month. It started off in a whirlwind of positivity even when results didn’t match it, I had an energy that everything was going to be ok. It took three seasons for Steven Gerrard to deliver a title as Rangers got incrementally better bit by bit.

But as that faded, Steven left and so did my overriding positivity. Writing about the poor job of recruitment, Ross Wilson, boardroom issues took it’s toll somewhat whilst watching failures on the field didn’t help either. With two managers after we find ourselves weeks into the new man’s tenure and something genuinely fantastic is slowly beginning to resonate with me.

When I started this it was always meant to be neutrally focused, I’d call it as I see it. But as Rangers didn’t win naturally that reflected in my writing, because it wasn’t all shining light and the positivity has been drained.

As Michael Beale left I genuinely felt I’d let a lot of people down, I was enthusiastic about a manager who just didn’t cut it at Rangers and perhaps, as much as I don’t like saying it, had done a lot more damage than good. So where do we go next? Where does my site or writing go now after such a reference?

I didn’t know much about Philippe Clement and truthfully perhaps I didn’t want to let myself get excited, but that’s not really me I’m a fan all my life and I desperately want us to succeed.

So this brings us to now.

It’s been a pretty huge ten days or so at Rangers if we allow ourselves to reflect. If we allow ourselves to be positive we can say it’s even been a bloody good ten days or so.

A vital point in Europe followed by a victory snatched in the last minutes against Hearts. Was it vintage? No. Was it even very good? No not really, but there was little signs here and there.

What if that victory against Hearts becomes a sliding doors moment in many ways, that result keeps any hopes of a title challenge alive as thin as they may be. There was little signs of good stuff, little patterns of play, little bits of good individual performances.

Then we go to Dundee and put in a ninety minutes that was genuinely brilliant. Not perfect but a big uplift from a long time ago, in fact stats as high as they have been since Steven’s time in charge.

What was so pleasing however was the actual performance. Forget the scoreline for a second, the chances created, the patterns of play, the individual performances, the press and the attacking style, it was all there.

I enjoyed that ninety minutes and it got me thinking when was the last time I enjoyed a Rangers performance like that?

So I went to Hampden with renewed hope yesterday and Rangers didn’t disappoint.

Those little incremental steps under Steven Gerrard are beginning to replicate theirselves. What if Dundee was an outlier, a fluke, a one off.

It wasn’t.

The performance was once again there. A first half where we defended well and Butland had very little to do, we created a lot of chances. We didn’t take them and at times you could see a few bad habits creeping in, flinging the ball in to the box at times hoping for something to happen instead of carving it out.

But even then it was something to build on, we were well on top.

I’ll be honest, I thought dropping Scott Wright was wrong but mainly because our shape was so good Wednesday and players playing in their natural positions suited Rangers wonderfully. Cantwell isn’t a right sided player so even though he contributed we just didn’t look as naturally comfortable perhaps?

In that second that changed, the press was good, the patterns and shape improved and quickly reflected as we blew hearts away with a three goal rampage in fifteen glorious minutes. If you want to know how Clement has changed Rangers watch that fifteen.

The shape pressing in unison at the correct times, Danilo leading the line and harassing which creates the penalty. Jack pressing onto the loose ball to feed Danilo who feeds Wright for the second. Then the press for the third which frees Wright who is pulled back for the free kick award which leads to Tavernier’s moment of magic.

It all comes from subtly wonderful play which Rangers have massively improved on lately. Basics such as having an organised structure.

Don’t believe me? Just journey back to Aberdeen’s win at Ibrox and see how disjointed and hapless that performance was as evidence. How many times did we hear Beale say the press was wrong or the team were too deep?

It was a second game in a row that I enjoyed immensely.

Here is where I return to something I said way back at the start, “something genuinely fantastic is slowly beginning to resonate with me”.

I’m starting to enjoy it again. Not only that I’m starting to really look forward to it again.

That feeling of dread and anger is evaporating, not only in me but in the crowd. That anger in Beale’s last game was ferocious, people were on the brink. Our support is beginning to heel itself.

There is a vibrancy is the air, a feeling of enjoyment and excitement. The feel good factor is returning and you can feel it, literally. From Todd Cantwell’s new song or ‘Super Jack Butland’ the fans are beginning to enjoy theirselves again and so am I.

This is good. This is good fun. I’ve even managed a smile.

What if Philippe Clement is that guy?

What if the Belgian is actually a very good manager who is about to rejuvenate this whole club with a style that makes us fun to watch again. What if these improvements are just the beginning? What if this guy really is the real deal?

Exciting thought isn’t it?

I’m excited again. Yes there is a long way to go and at times it might not work as well, yes we have to be grounded also, yes we have challenging games to come. This squad still have a hell of a lot to do but dare I say it all may not be lost IF this manager can keep getting little improvements every game.

What if the good times are about to return? A game at a time as the manager would remind us.

If you are still reading, sharing, RT this site and 4lads then I thank you. It means a lot and it all helps, you’ve stuck by me and I think you are all about to be rewarded.

It feels different. Europe is going ok, we are in a cup final and there is something to work with in the league. Let’s keep this going, let’s really kick on.

What if this is just the beginning?

What if this is about to get really good?

On to Thursday….