Progress in one player, but Rangers need more edge

You can see the improvement in one of our big attacking lads, and it matters. For months he’s looked a bit like Bambi on ice, all limbs and good intentions, with only the odd glimmer that made you think, “right, there’s a player in there.” But in the last few games he’s started to play with a bit more purpose.

It’s not just about goals either. He’s beginning to put himself about, using his size, linking play, and dragging defenders into places they don’t want to go. That’s what you want from a physical forward in this league. Scotland can be unforgiving if you don’t relish the contact, and it takes some boys time to learn how to use their body properly without giving cheap fouls away or disappearing when it gets scrappy.

A big boy learning the league

The encouraging bit is that you can actually see the work being done. He’s starting to spot moments in the box earlier, and when chances arrive he’s not taking an extra touch out of panic. It feels like confidence, and confidence usually comes from understanding your role.

Plenty of players need a bedding-in period here. The pitches, the tempo, the constant duels, even the way referees let things go compared to other countries. If he keeps bringing others into it, keeps being a nuisance, and keeps adding goals, you’re suddenly looking at a very useful option for the run-in.

Character and control, not just comebacks

But here’s the issue. Individual improvement is great, and comebacks can lift a squad, yet you still don’t fully trust us to control matches the way title winners do. We’re still not taking games by the scruff of the neck, snuffing teams out, and making the last half-hour feel inevitable.

That’s the difference between a side that’s merely good and a side that wins the league. The team that dominates the run-in, that plays with that cold, professional streak, will usually be the one lifting it.

45 minutes won’t be enough

There was a moment at the weekend that summed up the worry. Their boy Yang ran past too many Rangers shirts to score, and you just can’t be allowing that if you’re serious about being champions. Title-winning sides don’t gift those moments. They stop it early, they foul if they have to, they win the duel, they get bodies back.

Truth is, the “turn up for 45 minutes” caper wouldn’t have got it done in the past, and it won’t get it done now. If the players want a proper rest, the best way is simple: do the hard yards for the full 90, then you can breathe when the whistle goes.

Written by Tottishaw: 5 January 2026