There’s a hard truth staring Rangers in the face right now: we can line up a team that looks strong on paper, we can have loads of the ball, and we can still look like a side that’s nowhere near the standard a title challenger needs. Individually, plenty of these players have ability. Collectively, it’s not functioning like a proper Rangers team.
That’s why this latest performance feels like a wake up call. It’s not even about panic after one result, it’s more the pattern. You can keep the ball all day, but if it’s safe, slow and played in front of teams who are happy to sit in, you’re basically doing the opposition a favour.
Safe possession and no real threat
What stood out was how often we received the ball and didn’t turn into space. No forward momentum. No real intent to drive the game up the pitch. Just the comfortable pass, the extra touch, the recycling. It looks tidy, but it doesn’t shift anyone.
And that’s where the blame game gets messy. It’s easy to point at the manager, but if Danny is asking for more tempo and more penetration and the players either can’t do it or won’t do it, then the issue runs deeper than the touchline. Either the group doesn’t have the tools, or they’re falling back into habits that never work against a low block in this league.
Leadership is the missing ingredient
For me, this squad lacks leadership in key areas. You can carry one or two quiet types, but not an entire spine. When things get sticky, who drags the standards back up? Who demands the run in behind, the quicker pass, the ball into the box instead of another reset?
Raskin getting more involved deeper can help us move the ball, but if you’re asking him to be the main source of penetration and authority, you’re asking too much. There’s a difference between being a good footballer and being captain material, and Rangers need both somewhere down the middle.
Recruitment needs to build a team, not a shop window
The big thing now is the rebuild has to be about a proper spine. Not just signing “good players”, but signing the right types. The next few additions, whether it’s five or however many, need to bring personality, leadership and an understanding of what it takes to win week after week in Scotland.
Because the current player model might look clever in theory, but it’s not delivering on the pitch. Rangers can’t feel like a stepping stone first and a club trying to win trophies second. And if we’re drifting into conversations about where finishing third gets us financially, that’s exactly the kind of small-time thinking supporters are sick of.
This has been brewing for a while. Too many bad fits, too little bite, and not enough players who look like they truly get the league, the crowd, and the demands that come with the jersey.
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Rangers News Views offers daily Glasgow Rangers coverage including match reaction, transfer analysis, SPFL context, tactical breakdowns and opinion-led articles written by supporters for supporters.
