With Dundee languishing at the foot of the table, no other result is acceptable if our guys wish to be taken seriously as title contenders. Indeed, it is surely not asking too much that victory be secured early in the game and the team then go on to underline their championship potential by turning on the style and rattling in a few goals.
But we haven’t done that too often this season. On far too many occasions we have played the opposition off the park but been left to cling on at the end, never more so than when Dundee United, in exactly the same position as their neighbours, came to our place and, aided and abetted by sloppy play on Rangers’ part and a shocking display from a match official who looked like he’d got his referee’s badge out of a lucky bag, escaped with a point.
That game might still return to haunt us as the season unfolds so the team must make sure that there are no further lapses, especially in home fixtures which really should be three-point bankers.
Big Eck’s line-up will be very interesting. Gregory Vignal is again in contention but, amidst reports that Rangers and Everton might have struck a deal regarding Michael Ball’s pay-off, the Englishman could return to the side. I’ve no doubt that Ball is the better player of the two, if only he would stop indulging in the clever stuff in the wrong areas and start to clear his lines a bit quicker.
The make-up of the midfield will also be worthy of note. It is surely time for Dragan Mladenovic to show us whether he is a class act or just another imposter. I’m told he was far from impressive in the reserves' midweek defeat from Aberdeen but I’d like to see him get a run out this weekend, if only for the last half-hour, to check out what he can bring to our title challenge.
Having scored both goals in the 2-0 win over his former club in September, Nacho Novo will be up for it again and, with the SFA sitting in judgement on Celtic’s shame game in midweek, it may well be the wee man’s last league appearance for a week or two. Fingers crossed for good sense to prevail but I’m far from optimistic. So, if it has to be, bow out with a bang wee man!!!
Of course, with Celtic shareholder Jim Duffy in charge and one or two ex-Parkhead men in their ranks, Dundee certainly won’t be inclined to lie down. They gave us enough problems at Dens Park in September to show that they can’t be taken lightly and it has not slipped my notice that they got a draw with Martin O’Neill’s end-of-an-era mob just a fortnight ago.
But this must not be about what Dundee do or don’t do. Top of the table is the target and, with the other lot showing signs of wobbling (or is it wibbling?), Rangers must go about their business with all guns blazing. First and foremost, we have to win the game but it would be nice, and worrying for those on the dark side of town, if we did it with a bit of a swagger.
I’ll be sticking a tenner on Nacho for the first goal, a fiver on a Novo hat-trick, a few quid on a 4-0 win and another couple on a tidy roll-up of Novo first goal in a 4-0 win. That little lot should give me a very tidy return on a score. Make it happen, Rangers!!!
LITTLE BOY BLUE