Rangers don’t need told we should be shopping smarter, but we maybe do need reminded where the value often is. Home-based players can be rough round the edges, aye, yet they know the league, they don’t need months to adapt, and you usually know what you’re getting.
Home-based bargains aren’t a step down
The point about looking harder at players already in Scotland is a fair one. Names like Gogic, Shankland and Mulligan get mentioned because they felt attainable at sensible money and could have filled specific gaps in the squad without the long bedding-in period.
That’s not saying every SPFL signing is a guaranteed hit. It’s more that Rangers can’t afford to ignore the market right on our doorstep, especially when we’re trying to build a squad that can handle the week-to-week grind of domestic football as well as the bigger European nights.
A midfield that can compete, if the rest helps it
It’s also true that, on paper, the midfield looks strong. Barron, Raskin and Dio is a unit you can imagine controlling matches, and at times it has looked like one that other Scottish sides would love to have. There’s a bit of bite, a bit of energy, and enough football in there to move it quickly when Rangers are at our best.
The frustration comes when the structure around them makes everything harder. If you’re asking the side to go three at the back because the full-back areas feel shaky, you change your whole rhythm. The distances get bigger, the press looks messier, and suddenly that “strong midfield” is either stretched in transition or starved of clean passing options.
The forward line still decides your ceiling
And then there’s the big one: the striker profile. If you don’t have a forward who can take it in, bring others into play, and still be a reliable scorer, you end up playing in bursts rather than with control. Midfielders can dominate spells and still look like they’re doing nothing if the ball keeps bouncing straight back at them.
On top of that, Rangers do look like we’ve carried too many “number 10” types at times. Talent is great, but if they’re not impacting games consistently, you’re left with nice touches and not much end product.
Hearts didn’t outclass Rangers, they beat us to it
The Hearts point lands as well. It didn’t feel like Rangers were blown away by quality, more that Hearts were sharper in the key moments, more streetwise, and more willing to win the second balls and the ugly bits. Outfought and outthought is the right way to describe it.
And that brings us to the uncomfortable question: what style do we actually accept while we rebuild? Most teams in Scotland are happy to give up the ball and go direct. Rangers supporters, rightly, aren’t built that way. But if we’re not controlling games with the ball, and we’re not set up to be direct and physical either, you can see why performances dip.
Truth is, “not good enough” might be a different context now. The standard can still be Rangers standard, but the fixes are about balance and roles as much as they’re about big names.
Related Articles
About Rangers News Views
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.
