After a fortnight's break for international commitments, our guys get back down to the nitty-gritty of the SPL campaign against a Falkirk side who caused us more than a few problems last season. We have awaydays to Easter Road and the Piggery looming up on the horizon so nothing short of three points is acceptable on Saturday.
With Sellick facing the potentially tricky trip to Pittodrie for the early kick-off, the likely return of Baz to the side and the ceremony to honour the great Bill Struth, there will be plenty to occupy our minds before kick-off but, no matter what happens elsewhere or within Ibrox, it is essential Rangers focus on the main business and get the game won. Surely it isn't too much to ask. For all the work ethic which has stood Falkirk in good stead since their return to the top flight just over a year ago, they simply don't have the players to match the quality in our team, just so long as everyone concentrates on the job in hand.
The six points we have already thrown away have left us with no margin for error, even if we were to get a pre-match boost from Sheepieville. Every home match really should be a gimme and if the Gers go to work with the same approach which overran the Jambos three weeks ago we should all have smiling faces on Saturday night. We could have more than just three points to keep us happy.
New signing Sasa Papac, the return to fitness of Baz and Burkey and Libor Sionko's impressive performances for the Czech Republic have given Le Gaffer a team selection headache but these are the problems all managers want to have and, with the transfer window closed, we may now begin to see PLG's true impact as a coach as he knows what he has to work with and can structure his side accordingly.
Alan Hutton and Karl Svensson have been the whipping boys over the past month or so but, even with all the recriminations which have followed the sloppy loss of points, there hasn't been too much wrong with our football. The manager will know in his own mind what his best starting line-up is but he will also be aware of the various options open to him and, with all due respect to Falkirk, games like this one should enable him to make the most of the depth of his squad.
I'll be very surprised if Barry Ferguson gets the full 90 minutes. Indeed, some of the comments coming out of Auchenhowie towards the end of the week suggest he won't be in the starting eleven. Chris Burke will also be returning from injury so, as Libor Sionko had a busy week in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, I'd expect each of them to get a half-shift on the right. And if Lionel Letizi is less than 100% ready, there should be no problem with Allan McGregor continuing between the sticks.
All eyes will, of course, be on Sasa Papac. Having pursued him so diligently, refusing to take No for an answer, Le Gaffer clearly thinks very highly of him and that is good enough for me. We have been crying out for a no-nonsense centre-back, although I'm told he can also operate on the left side of the defence. But for now our need is at the heart of the back-line and I expect to see him fill that role at the weekend. Hey, wouldn't it be great to actually watch the new man go about his business, instead of closing our eyes in anguish whenever the ball is pitched into our box?
Falkirk's game plan will be to frustrate our midfield and forward players, then test our defence on the break, and don't be too surprised to find 77-year-old Russell Latapy taking time out from fixing himself a roll-up, having a swig from a can of beer and chatting up a bird in the crowd to ping passes into areas which cause us problems. We can't allow him too much time on the ball or he will crucify us.
Thankfully, we've got the very impressive Jeremy Clement in midfield and it will have done his Ibrox education no harm at all to get a ba-a-a-ad reception from the Dollies when playing for France's Under-21s at Pittodrie last Friday night. He looks more and more like the genuine article each time I see him play and Latapy's presence should be enough to keep him on his toes. And it will be good to see how he responds to having Baz alongside him.
Yet again Kris Boyd's situation has commanded plenty of column inches from the Press Gang. Walter Smith reckoned Kenny Miller would work harder for Scotland so Boydie had to spend half the game on the bench on Wednesday. I suppose some will say the result and a goal from Miller proved Walter right and, if it gets our man's back up, we shouldn't lose any sleep over it. After all, PLG is already playing mind games in this area and getting a good reaction from the big fella so maybe we'll benefit even more with him putting himself about to make the Scotland manager think again.
He'll get his name on the scoresheet against Falkirk, I have no doubt about that, and it would be great to see our team mark this very special Bill Struth weekend with the sort of performance which would have met with the great man's approval.
LITTLE BOY BLUE