Once again the transfer window has slammed shut with little activity on the Rangers front, Pedro Mendes has been the only high profile player to leave but all things considered I’m happy with our lot. Let’s not kid ourselves on; we would have preferred to strengthen certain areas but the fact remains we retained the key components which have led us to a 10 point championship lead although the bheasts have a game in hand tonight. 

When the first transfer window of the season closed back in August I wrote the following the article, my view point then was that by retaining Boyd we went a long way to ensuring we retained our title.

http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=204&Itemid=26

19 SPL goals in 19 SPL appearances for Boyd this season suggests my belief was not misguided & the performances of other players this season to date has only served to reinforce that belief. Rangers haven’t played free flowing fantasy football or indeed played with any real consistency over a period of several months but at key times the team has been stepping up to the plate when it really matters in the SPL.

The Champion’s League was an embarrassment I would rather forget but it’s gone and the main focus is retaining our title and despite some ropey performances the players have came good.

I feel it’s also important to give credit where it’s due and the teams performances during December were nothing short of brilliant, it was predicted we would falter against sterner SPL opposition off the back of the disastrous CL campaign but instead we blew the young pretenders to the throne away. Can any of our title challengers say the same? We also stood firm when suspensions, the African Nations cup & injuries (including 2 first half ones) threatened to be our undoing against the bheasts from the east in the January derby game.

Remember the mhedia were sharpening their knives and predicted the OF would be split this season, at that point back in November we were the team that was “het”. Look what has now happened? Rangers turned a 7 point deficit into a 10 point lead and now the bheasts are a draw or a loss from slipping into Third place.

The reason for this is simple, the players are digging deep and winning ugly if need be. Instead of whinging about injuries to almost all our key players at one point or another, unjust suspensions at crucial times and losing our best defender for a month the team has got their head down and got on with it. Forget bitching about refereeing decisions or the mythical establishment, our squad of players have got on with the job in hand.

I must emphasise the use of the word “squad”, at some point or another almost all our first team squad have been called on to do a job this season; this highlights a real sense of unity amongst the guys and willingness to battle for each other and the fans. Can anyone argue with the following?

Steven Davis – The best player in Scotland and I include the recent “second coming of the messiah” who recently arrived in the east end. Almost double the assists of any other player in the SPL, has now chipped in with a couple of goals and the real driving force in our midfield in recent months. Davis really benefited from Mendes enforced absence by playing more centrally and the difference in our performances can’t be ignored. Player of the Year in waiting if there’s any justice.

Allan McGregor – The best goalie in Scotland and despite my preference for Alexander to start the season McGregor has proven he’s the true No1. The guy is maturing on the field, now he just has to do likewise off the field to fulfil his potential.

Lee McCulloch – I’m having a love-hate relationship with the guy this year, at times he shouldn’t have been near our first team and Smith insistence on playing him regardless of performances or position done him no favours. I have to admit in recent times he’s shown some genuine form and one of the many who tries to lead us on the field. Never hides, never shirks a tackle and a prime example of a player coming up with the goods when it counts was his goal in the 1-1 draw with the bheasts.

Kenny Miller- Another who falls into the love-hate category, my feelings on us signing Miller are well documented but I’ve got to hold my hands up this season. I still have serious doubts that he will ever score consistently season after season but his 12 SPL goals in 19 matches to date this season have been invaluable. We miss his movement at times when he’s not playing and you can’t knock his attitude.

Danny Wilson – Was he really only 17 when asked to do a man’s job? Ultra consistent and despite knowing he will most likely make way for Bougherra on his return has been very professional in his attitude on the park. If Weir or Bougherra are injured / suspended again then we’ve no need to worry with Wilson in the squad. My preference would be to give Weir a much needed rest and team him up with Bougherra.

Nacho Novo – Never a first team regular but luckily for us he never complains, head down and gets on with it and you know he will give everything for the team. CF, LM & RM Novo has been asked to play for us; sometimes in the one game but like McCulloch never hides & never shirks a tackle. Also pops up with vital goals as he secured the points at St Mirren whilst the bheasts were losing 3 at home.

Steven Whittaker – A strange player to highlight but a classic example of the attitude throughout our squad. Personally I don’t think he’s a right back he was bought as a RB and has probably played more games in other positions but does the guy complain? Never! Yes he has been a liability at times this season and most of the goals conceded during the CL campaign could be attributed to poor defending from his position. The player was dropped on Broadfoot’s return but has responded by  making a few appearances at LM & RM and chipping in with a few goals. This will do his confidence the world of good & whilst I don’t wish him to play RB, I most certainly welcome him solving the RM position for us. The point being is the guy has been prepared to roll up his sleeves and play where asked by his manager without complaint.

I could go on and on throughout the squad from guys like Little; bursting to make an impression to the ever reliable Papac but the case I’m trying to make is quite simple really, we have the squad, ability and attitude to win the SPL title. It’s in our hands, it’s ours to lose and we’ve retained the players who gave us this lead, Mendes might be missed but he played no part in the recent run of form.

Across the city our rivals have hit desperation stages, the signing of the boyhood Liverpool fan is more about marketing than football. The bheasts season ticket sales are down to approx 40k, they sold approx 1/3 of their corporate tickets for the season and know not getting champions league money will leave them in the mire.

Simple question, would they have forked out the money for Robbie Keane if he wasn’t the ROI poster boy? The fact his picture on the official site featured him in a ROI short says it all, as armanithin said recently “they’re trying to be more irish than the irish” which is a deranged marketing ploy the bheast hordes are gullible enough to lap up.

Robbie Keane won’t determine the outcome of the SPL title and to quote another poster NoColours; “the day I worry about one man making a team, that man being keane, is the day I give the game up”

Nor for that matter will any of Monkeyheids 4 signings (the other 4 were quite clearly liewell’s) this transfer window, Rangers are the ones who will determine whether we win or lose it as the bheasts are already reliant on others doing them favour. What their transfer dealings and blue chip signing ensures though is that now, there’s;

“NO EXCUSES – WE WELCOME THE CHASE”

Blue_Tumai