A Title Race, and One More for Tav

You can feel it coming back, can’t you? That wee buzz you only get when Rangers are actually in the conversation and not just talking about “building” or “next season”. There’s still a long way to go, and anyone getting carried away is asking for a sore head later, but it’s been a while since the league run-in felt like it genuinely mattered again.

The truth is, being in the hunt changes everything. It sharpens the focus, raises expectations, and suddenly every performance has an edge to it. Even the games you scrape through feel different because there’s pressure attached. That’s what you want. That’s what Ibrox demands.

We still need a bit more imagination

For all the good signs, I still look at the squad and think we’re one or two additions away from being properly rounded. Not in a scattergun way either, just targeted. The big one for me is creativity. Someone who can take the ball in tight areas, see a pass early, and turn a cagey match into something we control.

Rangers have had spells where we move it fine, keep good shape, work the ball wide, then it stalls when it comes time to unlock a set defence. That’s usually when you need one player to do something a bit different: a disguised pass, a quick one-two, a proper bit of bravery between the lines. It doesn’t need to be flashy. It just needs to be effective.

Nico finding his feet in that role

To be fair, it does feel like Nico has stepped up recently in terms of trying to make things happen. Whether it’s taking responsibility on the ball, playing a forward pass sooner, or just looking more comfortable dictating the tempo, there’s been signs of him growing into it.

That matters because when your midfield has someone willing to progress play, the whole team looks better. Full-backs get it in stride rather than standing still. Forwards get early service rather than scraps. And you spend more time in the right areas of the pitch. It’s not complicated, but it’s massive.

Tav deserves his moment

The bit I keep coming back to, though, is the captain. Tav has been a huge player for Rangers over the last decade, and whatever folk think about him at any given moment, you can’t rewrite that. He’s given the club a lot, carried responsibility in good times and bad, and been the kind of figure you actually remember.

Is he on the way down? Probably. That’s football. But respect is due. I’d love nothing more than seeing him lift the league trophy over his head again, properly, as the captain. Not as a nice story, but because it would mean Rangers have done the business.

And honestly, we could do with a few more like him. Proper leaders. Proper standards. Players who look like they understand what it means to pull on that shirt at Ibrox.

Written by DadoPrsosBandage: 7 January 2026