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Pretty obvious that we played a bit deeper than usual (especially in the second half) to try and create a bit more space when we did go forward. Problem was we were a bit wasteful in possession when we countered so the game was more of a stale-mate than anything else. Ultimately though it's another win, the 13th on the bounce in the league, so we should go into Saturday's six-pointer with a lot of confidence. I actually think our shape today was with a view to the Old Firm game so I'm pleased we took two chances and didn't concede ourselves. Happy birthday to me with that win...

I'll take run of the mill 2-0 wins for the rest of the season. ?

You were all taking the p*ss here... 11 Correct Scores, and 3 maximums!? Ugh. Correct Result (1 pt): Everyone who entered. Correct Number of Rangers Goals (1pt): compo, TinMan, BEAR, Yorkie, Dado, WB91, GS, BF, Bill, DJ, gisabeer, gaspard and r_s. FGS (2 pts): Rousseau, Dado, GS, BSRT, Devil, BF, Franc, CammyF and r_s. Correct Score (3 pts): compo, TinMan, BEAR, Yorkie, Dado, WB91, BF, Bill, DJ, gaspard and r_s. Dado, blueflag and r_s take the maximum! Latest Standings:

I thought that was a controlled, professional second half. Yes, we didn't create much, but we didn't need to. We let them have the ball, and we kept to a compact European shape. Why take a risk? Job done.

fuck me did we lose that game?? I seem to be the only one delighted with that. Bring on the Celtic

Kent`s pace is not essential in such games, as St. Mirren will sit deep. Thus, kudos to SG to finally jump over his (Kent-) shadow. A lot of technical ability, trickery and shooting ability from midfield (Kamara) to the main striker. Let`s hope we tear them a new one and pay a few League Cup bruises back.

It seems that each season we start strongly until we have played just about everyone twice, and by then a combination of us running out of steam and our opponents working out how best to play us has resulted in our second half of the season slide. Our high intensity style, with high and focused pressing and a huge amount of off the ball movement does seem to have taken its toll by about this time of year in each of the 3 seasons under SG. The big difference this year is our deeper squad and a bit more ruthlessness and hunger to get results, and a far more resolute defence. Hopefully that is going to be enough. If we can keep this momentum going with victories throughout January, the league will be done and we can cruise the final few games, with the finishing line and a healthy lead giving our players that extra adrenaline to keep going, whereas in the last 2 years a couple of bad results knocked the confidence and stamina out of us. The big worry is that a defeat on Saturday will see us resort to type and lose our way, dropping a number of points in a short space of time. The history of the past 2 years paints a very sobering picture that we have to learn from and not repeat. Anyone can see we have a better team than them, we just need to play to our maximum and that will be enough. As always, the first goal will be crucial.

I'll be shocked if Hagi starts against Celtic. I reckon Gerrard will bring Kent back in as he does more off the ball and perhaps he thinks that the team is more balanced when Kent plays.

3 points,little effort extended so hopefully no injuries and on to Saturday. Hope for good news re Jack & Arfield but as long as we score one more than them that would be best news.

I don't think we've played particularly well for quite a few weeks. Points win leagues though, so no real complaint about it from me. The forwards could all do a bit better, other than Roofe. Hagi could improve his overall play (he seems to be on a different wavelength at times), Morelos needs to get his spark back (today's goal should help) and Kent needs to provide some kind of end product (an assist or a goal once in a while wouldn't hurt) . Saturday would be a great time for things to click better.

https://www.barrheadnews.com/news/18976748.tribute-barrhead-victims-Ibrox-disaster/

We need a steady hand on the tiller

I really hope Alfie gets among any goals that may come our way today. A confident and scoring Morelos could be vital in the 2nd part of the season

No worries me old shipmate. Good to hear you. Rousseau - Am I allowed back in to show these punters how to predict?

Long overdue unfortunately

Thanks for reminding me. I was organising the day thinking it an evening KO !! ______ I posted this earlier this morning, but given this is now the ra offiiiiiiicial matchday thread, it's better here. As far as SG&Co are concerned they'll have to weigh-up the players available, the loading and current physical state of each, the requirements for the two games in a spell of 4 days and the subsequent week free from a game. The main question or risk is in the midfield where if we are to be without Arfield and Jack, then we can do without an injury tonight but it looks like we'll need to start the same three in both games. The focus being on if Steve Davis will be able to maintain a physical level to be able to play at someone near his best come Saturday. He is already coming off three games in 8 days where he completed 90, 77 and 90 minutes. The last time Davis started on the bench was at Paisley in the League Cup. Zungu is the other main option and he started that game. Unless carrying some slight knock/niggle, I'd imagine Davis will start tonight and SG will hope to be able to get him off the park at some pint in the second half. Whilst on the midfield, I have always liked the look of the young lad Dickson, from that Alkass Cup win to his debut at Falkirk recently. All around Europe we are seeing very young players coming through quickly at big clubs. If you are good enough, you are old enough. Another question arises about Alfredo Morelos and for tonight, it's a positive one. He played his best half hour for months against Hibs. Does Roofe get offloaded, does he get shifted out wide or does Morelos start on the bench ? My guess is Morelos for Hagi will be the only change from Saturday.

Balogun's superior pace v Helander's superior defensive capabilities. It'll be interesting to see who he goes for.

Here's our December's league results broken down ; 18 points from 18, 15 goals scored, 2 conceded - utterly outstanding. 4-0 v Ross County (away) 2-1 v Dundee Utd (away) 3-1 v Motherwell (home) 3-0 v St Johnstone (away) 1-0 v Hibs (home) 2-0 v St Mirren (away)

Today marked out 13th straight league victory since Hibs scored an offside equaliser at Easter Road. If that was to have been correctly ruled out, we'd be sitting 17 game winning streak. For those fans who are claiming some sort of "blip", please re-read the above stat - 13 league victories on the trot. Football is about winning games, performances are secondary, especially at this time of the season. As someone said above, I'd take 2-0s like today's between now and end of season.

I'd prefer Duffer to play!

Agreed. We were doing this with ease in Europe but have looked jittery at the back of late. Even McGregor looks less assured

The opposition seemed to have twigged about the influence of Goldson to IMO

Amazing to get another 3 points and a clean sheet but that's 4/5 games now that we haven't looked even close to our best. Winning through a patch of indifferent performances is a fantastic sign of progress but is anyone else slightly concerned at how are full backs are being nullified? Tav and Borna are just not having the same influence on games as they were earlier in the campaign. Thoughts?

Ask her to keep her scissors in her handbag until I’ve seen at least 55.

I thought Davis had a great game as well, however I wouldn't disagree with Kamara getting it. I thought Davis was all over the pitch picking up loose balls and nipping in stealing the ball. At the end of the day it's a great 3pts, the game against them will take care of itself.

Simple as that. PS: Kamara was fantastic and I'm stunned he didn't get MotM...

That would do nicely ?

2 goals from our strikers, 3 points, clean sheet, onto Saturday now.

Short pass-back, Morelos through on goal, hits it low, sending the 'keeper the wrong way.

Hi chief. Whats your predictions for tonight. Am I going to have to waste you with the predictions? haha. Or is Scott going to show you up? haha

Working fine here.

I would suggest even slowing down at 2 is folly. If we are 2 up, keep going as 1 goal can change everything

Happy with that team. It’s very rare for Gerrard to drop Kent so that is interesting. This is a strong team we are starting with which suggests there will be no complacency this time. Big game.

???, idiot that I am

Not according to your team post,Kent is on bench!!!!

Nae bad, ma loon. Don’t skip off again. Chelsea Boy, compo and I are running this on our own with sage interventions by Rousseau.

That is bad news. Absolute legend of the Scottish game. - What he did for Dundee Utd was unbelievable. I know we dont get on well with DUFC at the moment but he was amazing. Who can for get that interview - who was it he smacked again???

Thanks. Thanks... ?

Now on our main site - apologies for the delay!

Aye. I hope no one tries to Zoom call me from 3-5pm.

15:00 kick-off? Is that right?

Glad you enjoyed it, Tannochsidebear and thanks for pointing out where you disagree with me - more than fair comment and it gives me a chance to clarify on those two points. I'm not feeling Bassey is a bad player. Quite the opposite. I think he's a great player for his age (21 on Hogmanay!) - a really exciting prospect. I just feel that night in Paisley - after a couple of wee defensive switch-off moments at Falkirk in the previous round which couldn't distract from a great all-round performance but would've been punished by better opposition - confirmed he's still more in the "potential" bracket than a like-for-like swap for Borna. You're absolutely right, our League Cup exit was his only bad game and he's not the only one who was slightly off it that night. What I was trying to say is the bigger and harder the game* the more unfair it is to field the likes of young Calvin in a side with other changes to it. If he keeps developing he could easily end up being better than Barisic. He's just not there yet, for me anyway, (and it's no criticism to not be as good as a class act like Borna) but needs more matches where he's the only second-stringer on the pitch. He needs more careful nurturing. My general point is that Paisley - our first defeat of the season - didn't prove we suddenly have a bad squad. Rather it showed how that squad is best utilised. Like most people, as we got into December without a single defeat across three competitions (and all our pre-season friendlies), I was starting to believe we were a couple of signings away from having two completely different starting XIs, one as good as the other. I think that night told us we had some players who could be swapped with no drop in standard and some squad players who needed more time, more games and/or to be utilised more sparingly. Re SG chucking the League Cup I do say, at the start of the second last para, "Gerrard didn’t deliberately chuck the League Cup". But he probably felt he had no choice, the schedule being as intense as it is, and the league title being the priority, other than to field the slightly more experimental team he did in Paisley. Stevie G doesn't know how to chuck stuff - he knows you can't switch it on and off. It's all or nothing with him. But he also knows you'll end up winning nothing if you run your best players into the ground by the half-way point of the season. All I'm saying is he's been given more insight into what games afford him the chance to rest which players. I'm as sure as I've ever been that we're in the safest of managerial hands. Which, if you know my history on predictions, is just asking for trouble but - I cannae help it - Stevie G has us all believing. *While we've often found St Mirren away a bit of a struggle down the years, as a club, it's only recently been established that Jim Goodwin might seriously know what he's doing at this level, so I in no way blame anyone at Rangers for thinking this was a game in which we could rest a few first choice bodies.

I'm struggling to see any positive spin from a defeat. We are in the territory where Ponts win Prizes, the rest is decoration.