Rangers banter 8

11 Oct 2026 08:26:10
First off, great to see the Rangers back after what felt like the International Break had returned us to pre-season!
Good result and performance yesterday to win on our return.
Top of the league - doesn't matter if only for 24 hours - as it shows we got our job done.


All over the place at times 2nd half as we gave Killie numerous chances.
Not sure why. I'm sure someone with a tactical brain like EHL will be able to share his thoughts.
Onwards and upwards. 🔴⚪️🔵

P.S. winning run from my birthday continues 😎.

11 Oct 2026 08:48:51
I don't think a Celtic win is a guarantee today, I think we could get a surprise today.

11 Oct 2026 09:36:07
Pretty simple MPH.

First half we controlled the distance between the backline and the frontline, which allowed us to play quickly and to get numbers around the ball.

Second half Killie effectively went 5-2-3, went man for man in the middle of the pitch, sat purposely deep and pushed their front 3 right up on our backline. This stretched the game and nullified the impact Neil was having on the game. As a result Naderi and Kelsy were having to drop really deep to get the ball off the backline and neither one of them could do it. Lost count of how many time Kelsey lost the ball in our half.

Have said in a couple of other threads that the way Neil fell out the game worried me, as we will face this set up more often than not in the league and so far he's not been able to adjust to it.

11 Oct 2026 10:53:26
EHL - I've seen this tactic now since Gio was manager where the CM goes into defence and create a back 3. I also see all the top teams doing the same. My issue with that tactic is they are too static. When the ball goes wide the should be back in midfield but there not.

I don't know how many times (esp 2nd half) where the ball goes to the full back and they do t have a pass inside. They then have to either go back (and repeat) or go long and play into the opposition,

For me we need to control the middle of the park and can't do that with one midfielder in there.

11 Oct 2026 10:55:16
What would you expect t him to do EHL? Does some of this fall under McInnes to change the system or are there basics that Neil could have done?

11 Oct 2026 11:40:45
Dado, its a tough one as when the game is as stretched as Killie made it and you're only playing 2 in the middle it's very difficult to influence the game.

Raskin was dropping deeper as that's his role and that left Neil a huge space to control from middle to front. When he was man marked he really struggled to find space and get on the ball, which is why Kelsy and Nadiri were dropping deep to get on it.

However as they couldn't hold it and bring the likes of Neil, Minsu and Gassama in to play. That's where we really missed Shankland or Chermiti as they're both much better in that role.

I just have a niggling worry about Neil.

11 Oct 2026 12:49:59
Yeah that's good feedback on Neil, to be honest, I don't see those details (I suspect most arm chair fans don't). It's great to read your thoughts on it.

I do really like Neil, I know how impressed he was with the club, history and vision of what we were wanting to achieve, I really hope it works for him.

11 Oct 2026 12:56:54
I thought Neil was one of our better players yesterday and I couldn't believe it when McInnes took him off and left Raskin on .Nico had a poor game giving the ball away and committing so many senseless fouls .Kelsy and Gassama should have been hooked earlier as neither contributed in the second half at all .

There may have been reasons for it but the second half was terrible. I hope there is an inquest about why we only had one man back at the Killie goal because something went wrong somewhere .

11 Oct 2026 12:57:28
Cheers EHL.
Did being 3-0 up influence any of McInnes decisions - in the sense that if we were only 1-0 up, would he have shored up the middle?

11 Oct 2026 14:09:53
After watching Stephen O'Donnell for the Well against the Tim's, there was no danger they were dropping points The guy was at it🥴😡😡😡.

11 Oct 2026 16:01:34
MPH you should consider having a birthday every year.🤣🤣.

12 Oct 2026 01:52:56
Jfm 🤣.

11 Oct 2026 07:39:21
{Ed's Note - OptimumShots has posted a new article entitled, Who Are the Two Mystery Groups Interested in Buying Everton?

10 Oct 2026 20:56:49
You've got to be positive after getting the job done in 45 minutes during a potential banana skin fixture, especially coming straight off the back of the international break and the Old Firm. The bench is looking stronger week by week, and hopefully, we can maintain this trajectory.

It feels like we could finally have a long-term manager in place if he can be successful this season, and with that success will come a lot of valuable assets given the young average age of the team. And top of the league, happy Saturday!

10 Oct 2026 23:11:40
Reading many saying we were poor 2nd half but 3 points and 3 goals for the first time in the league after 3 weeks off without being able to work with half the team is good enough for me. Happy days.

11 Oct 2026 04:13:54
Kaiser

Wee bit harsh overall, two up no time, bit lethargic after damned IB. But overall pretty good. DM breathes air into me every time he speaks, hopefully here long haul. But more importantly bit level playing cream comes top.

11 Oct 2026 08:01:28
Eh? How am I being harsh? I'm exact opposite. I'm responding to many saying we were poor.

11 Oct 2026 08:28:23
Good result take it every day of the week.
My only thing is Del saying he could have changed it or changed it earlier. That's a few times now he has said that. He need stop second guessing himself and act on it.

11 Oct 2026 09:05:13
Absolutely delighted also guys 😁Got the 3 points in what was a good first half performance which of course did tail off in the second half but it's 3 points first and foremost and we're now top of the league until we see how they go this afternoon 😁 Well done derek McInnes and our team and let's keep this going 👏👏🇬🇧.

11 Oct 2026 13:00:33
We can be pleased at the result and still acknowledge that we were poor at times .We started badly then dominated and got the three goals but the second half was poor and if you don't believe the punters who are saying it listen to McInnes and Penrice who both said the same thing . Its not being overly critical its just being realistic.

11 Oct 2026 14:10:29
Kaiser

Not you personally but words you allude to. After IB not surprised lethargic 2nd half but job done first. i'm most confident in years current squad, DM got squad he wants, time to perform.

12 Oct 2026 08:54:51
Don't think many of the squad are much to do with DM. from what i read on here many were enquired into months before DM became news.

the first half was good to watch however we offered them too many clear cut chances where a better team would have hurt us. Second half was really poor. so much so i went home slightly dejected and should have been going home with a huge smile on my face with the scoreline.

Why he made changes with 5 minutes to go is baffling. tactics usually only used to burn up a few minutes.

was leggy and needed changes at 60 minutes but yet we didn't do anything.

10 Oct 2026 20:23:11
Did not see game today. How did the boy Nedeljkovic look when came on in 2nd half.

10 Oct 2026 20:44:41
Bankie, I personally thought he was our best player second half, very composed, looks to have great engine for getting up and down the park. I reckon he'll be a good yin the boy, just got his work cut out trying to dislodge dujon. Dujon the better choice at present, but wouldn't have any worries with him starting.

10 Oct 2026 21:14:07
Thanks Boy blue, that's high praise indeed. Love Dujon and always think we look stronger when he plays.

10 Oct 2026 21:19:32
Absolutely Boy blue, 👍dujon Sterling is Rangers best right back and the best in Scottish football for me. 👌🇬🇧 As long as his injury issues are kept to a minimum, he's our no.1 right back 🤔🇬🇧.

10 Oct 2026 22:25:41
Means next season he's ready made and adapted to slot right in 👍 i think dujon will leave on a free after this season as can't see him accepting reduced terms and giving him a new deal with improved terms doesn't sound likely.

10 Oct 2026 23:24:46
He won't have a choice of leaving on a free this summer BigDado.

10 Oct 2026 23:52:25
Just had another look, Sterling is contracted until May 2028, and we're trying to extend it.

11 Oct 2026 00:41:48
Dado it's a hard one mate, as i know he's on a fair wedge, but if he keeps performing like he is, it would be crazy to let him go imo mate.

11 Oct 2026 04:19:11
Walter

Whats going on there? 2 months ago he was broken watch. Now he's top man. Have we finally cured injury. Hope so because boy starting look class.

11 Oct 2026 06:37:29
Didnt know his contract ran to 2028 star. Maybe an option of a further year? Its one of they ones need to monitor it as i just can't see him being over the injuries. Its a huge wage to have to manage him. Might be fine this season without Europe but I do really like him as a player BB.

11 Oct 2026 08:30:44
Ar present I don't care about his wage. If he can keep performing like he is and we get the league that's the priority. More valuable on the park to us.

11 Oct 2026 09:10:11
MBW, i never once said Sterling was a broken watch my friend 🤔 Always have rated him and like i've also stated many times, only injury issues have held him back, so hopefully the injuries are kept to a minimum and if so he's our no.1 right back for me and still only coming on 27 years old 👌🇬🇧Big dado, dujon Sterling signed an extension and isn't out of contract until 2028 mate 👍🇬🇧.

11 Oct 2026 14:28:12
BigDado, he's signed until May 2028 mate.

11 Oct 2026 15:18:44
Walter

Jeez, why everyone so literal. I said up until recently broken watch because injury so borderline. His condition so fragile. I also asked if he had been treated because turnaround quite dramatic.

11 Oct 2026 16:41:18
Miller, he had an operation last April, been fit since last Nov/Dec.

10 Oct 2026 18:25:07
Okay it wasn't brilliant but a win is a win, think this will work in our favour not having a midweek game, with the extended international break think most teams will take a time to get back into a rhythm 🤞.

10 Oct 2026 18:31:36
Hopefully Motherwell are in tune tomorrow and in fine rhythm.

10 Oct 2026 19:50:43
Agreed, This game won't be remembered if we lift the title or indeed if we dont, just get 3 points is the only thing that matters, good games will come but most will be routine wins.

Considering in recent years we've been terrible after long breaks I will take a good 3 points and top of the league on a Sat night. Enjoy folks and let's hope the steelmen add to their demise.

10 Oct 2026 21:49:44
I think that is another test passed by the team. Many more to come including can we get to top of league, can we win a cup, etc. Naderi is banging in the bread and butter goals that win games. Kelsey is up and running. If they keep passing the tests they become winners.

11 Oct 2026 00:33:37
Lowry anytime, 7/2.

10 Oct 2026 17:15:56
Important win, but 2nd half sounded awful on the radio, defence and midfield slack again? Glad killie don't have a striker of note. Is that a fair assessment that I listened to?

10 Oct 2026 17:31:33
Terrible drop off in the second half. Thought we had got rid of this only playing one half thing. i'm sure DM will sort it out.

10 Oct 2026 17:37:58
Bang on scotty, give Killie their dues they will head up the table in coming weeks , think us being three up and players maybe fatigued from international duty part of our drop off but 3 points and up the road.

10 Oct 2026 17:48:51
Totally let foot off the gas. Nobody tracking back. Great 1st half absolutely horrific 2nd half.

10 Oct 2026 18:05:57
Terrible second half, but hats off to Neil McCann for not parking the bus, and also noticed he is still wearing his brown brogues.

10 Oct 2026 20:33:59
We weren't great in first half at all , but three points is all that matters for now.

10 Oct 2026 21:24:01
I disagree Penrith bear, 🤔we played some good football in the first half today and made and missed a good few chances. 🤔The second half we were completely off it and going through the motions and let Kilmarnock into the game for me 🤔🇬🇧.

10 Oct 2026 22:23:21
Irrelevant though we got 3 point regardless of what parts of the game Killie were ok. We just can't micro manage games, football doesn't work like that, at the end of a game 0, 1 or 3 points is what you get regardless of how well or poorly you played.

11 Oct 2026 08:34:20
I thought we were decent in first half. Considering just back after international.

I think we were just to complacent and thought game was done.

10 Oct 2026 17:05:49
Hi

Not the best today but its the result that matters most, really enjoyed Raskin's display again today but Kelsy not so much.

Onwards and upwards


Come on Motherwell tomorrow!

10 Oct 2026 18:07:12
Didnt think rask8n was hreat tbh, for me minsu and penrice stand outs.

10 Oct 2026 18:33:37
I thought Raskin was terrific in the first half as the majority of our team was but took the foot of the gas in the second half which allowed Kilmarnock into the game but its 3 points and we're top of the league with pressure on them for the morra so job done 👍At least Sterling wasn't taken off injured at half time it's tonsillitis he had 🤔🇬🇧.

10 Oct 2026 18:43:59
Raskin imo was outstanding,

10 Oct 2026 19:03:19
Yeah, thought Raskin was excellent.

Was really disappointed by Neils performance in the second half, he looked absolutely lost.

10 Oct 2026 19:08:15
We're a lot more solid when dujon Sterling is in our defence and was visible when Sterling had to unfortunately go off at half time due to illness ☹️ He's a superb right back and one on one defender, the best in Scottish football 👌🇬🇧.

10 Oct 2026 19:09:10
Raskin was my MOTM John 🤔🇬🇧.

10 Oct 2026 19:10:27
I thought Neil had a solid game but Minsu was class.

10 Oct 2026 22:26:59
Most say DN had a good game rating at 7.5?

10 Oct 2026 23:20:15
TJBB, Neil did have a good game today, and we'll still never conceded a league goal when Dan Neil has been on the park.

10 Oct 2026 23:30:38
Tjbb, I thought he was excellent in the first half when we were in control of the distances between the backline and the front line - he links the play really well and most importantly plays at a really high tempo.

However, thought he was really poor in the second half when Killie stretched the game and went man of man in the middle. As I said, he looked lost at times - whereas Raskin found ways to get involved.

10 Oct 2026 23:52:29
No bother EHL asa caoch you might look at the detail as fans we just want 3 points.

11 Oct 2026 07:57:05
I'm pretty sure fans who aren't coaches are also capable of balanced feedback on the performance of the team and players.

Earlier in this season there were plenty of posters who weren't happy with our performances when we were winning.

11 Oct 2026 08:38:18
I thought Raskin done a lot of breaking up, closing down and covering. A solid performance doing some of the dirty work that sometimes fans don't notice. I thought his work off the ball was pretty good.

11 Oct 2026 09:15:52
To be fair EHL, i thought our full team was off it in the second half and not just dan neil mate 🤔I didn't think neil was poor in the second half like the rest off it would be the way i'd put it 🤔🇬🇧.

11 Oct 2026 13:03:53
I thought Raskin was poor and looked leggy throughout .He gave the ball away and then committed fouls trying to get it back .Neil was much better, composed on the ball and actually winning the ball back when he needed to .How Raskin lasted the 90 minutes is beyond me.