It’s time for Rangers’ fringe men to step up to the plate
IF RANGERS were contesting the Scottish Cup final today then we could confidently predict Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team selection. The trouble is, with the club fighting on three fronts, it’s unfair to expect the manager’s preferred starting XI to keep going to the well.
After Thursday’s latest energysapping European heroics against Red Star Belgrade, Van Bronckhorst should be able to freshen up his team for today’s Scottish Cup quarter-final against Dundee with confidence.
However, that requires certain squad players to start stepping up to the plate.
The Ibrox boss has been criticised for not making changes in certain matches but he is entitled to expect more from his fringe players.
In January, the club brought in Amad Diallo, James Sands, Aaron Ramsey and Mateusz Zukowski.
The two loan signings in particular would have been expected to make an impact but Ramsey has had his issues with fitness and Diallo has been on the periphery.
Rangers need those four players ready to come in and play. The same goes for Kemar Roofe, who we have hardly seen of late.
Roofe came off the bench to score the winner against Aberdeen last weekend but these players need to be putting their hands up to help out their manager more often.
I think Rangers would swap the Scottish Cup for league success — and they would probably swap the Premiership title for the Europa League.
So the cup is probably the third most important trophy on offer. But when you play for Rangers, you can’t view it like that.
This trophy has eluded them for 13 years and that’s too long. There have been reasons for that but the club has been stronger for a few seasons now and that gap won’t sit well with the supporters. There is pressure to deliver and Giovanni will be well versed in that, having won the Scottish Cup as a player.
He will be greedy, he will want the cup, the title and to go as far as he can in Europe.
I don’t think it’s pie in the sky to suggest Rangers can go all the way in the Europa League but it will be a real stretch to do it.
That said, I think they have already knocked out the best team in the competition in Dortmund and, based on what I watched in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Red Star, I expect them to ease through to the last eight.
Red Star will feel the tie is still alive. It was similar against Dortmund, when Rangers took a two-goal cushion back to Ibrox but still had to turn up and finish the job. At this stage, you can’t win a tie in one leg — you need two big performances.
For three halves of the Dortmund tie, Rangers were the better team. They were better in both halves at Ibrox but they must replicate that in Belgrade. I think they will.
I believe there are parallels to what Walter Smith’s team did in 2008, knocking out teams of greater reputation to reach the UEFA Cup final. But while Walter’s team were very difficult to break down and found a way to win, this Rangers team has the composure and the quality to score more often. You can see that they really enjoy the European stage.
Domestically, at times, it looks a wee bit forced, a little bit strained and anxious.
There is a lot of pressure on these games but that comes with playing for Rangers, the players have to expect the necessity to win every week and deal with it.
That challenge from Celtic was not there last season and Rangers were excellent. This year, every game, every point is massive and they are not performing at the same levels.
I think criticism of the manager is unfair. He has suffered one defeat in 24 games — and that came at Celtic Park.
The Europa League has shown the standard Rangers can reach. But the bread and butter is the league. There are two Old Firm games left and it may come down to those.
Dortmund and Red Star have had the confidence to come to Ibrox and take Rangers on.
That affords more space for players like Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos to make a difference. They don’t get that scope in Scotland. It’s not the same game and, contrary to what people may say, it’s not easy.
To break these tight defences, Rangers need to generate more speed, play at a higher tempo. That’s why it’s crucial that the full squad steps up to play its part.
I don’t think they have been so bad domestically. I watched the Dundee United game and they were excellent — there was no hangover from the win over Dortmund in Germany.
They lost a poor goal from a set-play but other than that, they were fine in the game, if a bit negligent in front of goal.
Today’s game offers a chance to reach a Hampden semi-final. It’s time for the fringe players to stand up and be counted.