There’s a swagger creeping back into the Rangers chat just now, and you can understand why. The big point being made is simple: if you’re picking a combined eleven on current shape and options, it’s hard to see many Celtic players forcing their way into a Rangers starting side.
That’s not just chest-thumping for the sake of it either. It’s rooted in the idea that Rangers have improved their overall level, while Celtic look, to some eyes, like a squad that’s been stripped back and rebuilt with less quality. Whether you agree with every word or not, that perception matters because it feeds confidence around Ibrox.
From chasing to competing again
The comparison being drawn is with where Rangers were not that long ago. There’s mention of a period where the team were well behind Celtic and even sitting down the table, and it’s used as a marker for how far things have moved on.
Supporters aren’t claiming perfection. Far from it. But the sense is that Rangers now have a “proper” squad again, one that looks deeper and more capable, without needing to pretend every player is elite. It’s just a stronger platform than before, and that’s the bit that sticks.
The Celtic picture and why it fuels confidence
The other half of this is Celtic. The view here is blunt: this is the weakest Celtic squad the writer can remember, with the best footballers moved on and replacements coming in a level down. That’s obviously subjective, but it mirrors a wider truth in football: when your best players leave, you either replace them properly or you wobble.
There’s also a bit of disbelief at how Celtic have ended up in that position in the first place. When fans are talking about the club relying on people “scouting” players as a headline detail, it’s usually a sign they think the wider recruitment operation has not been handled as it should.
Rangers being “back” is the real point
Underneath all the noise, the emotional core of the argument is that Rangers are back in the mix and Celtic supporters know it, even if some won’t admit it. Not in a guaranteed-titles sense, because nothing is guaranteed in this league, but back in terms of having the resources and ambition to compete properly.
And that’s what changes everything. When Rangers look upward rather than over their shoulder, the whole mood shifts. If Celtic are in a messy moment, Rangers have to be ruthless and take advantage. That’s the challenge now: turn the good feeling into real progress on the pitch.
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