Heading into this weekend’s clash with Dundee, the jury remained out on January signing and USA utility man James Sands following his January loan move from NYCFC.
Playing a starring role in the backline for the incumbent MLS Champions, big things are expected of the 21-year-old who can operate as a defensive midfielder, centre-back or even right-back.
But so far James Sands has had a rocky opening to life at Ibrox, the plan to utilise the USA international as a squad player first and then see how he develops over 18 months.
Thrown in with the three other January signings in Mateusz Zukowski, Amad Diallo and Aaron Ramsey, fans had expressed frustrations regarding the impact – or lack of – from those who arrived in the window.
Seeing a nine-point turnover and losing a six-point lead in the title race will do that.
James Sands beginning to settle at Rangers
It didn’t help either than James Sands was tossed into something of a baptism of fire in the 1-1 draw with Aberdeen with the entire team and management staff suffering criticism as a result.
But against Dundee – and latterly against Red Star Belgrade – Rangers fans have begun to see the kind of attributes that convinced Rangers to pounce and had “several” Bundesliga clubs and clubs from other leagues to James Sands’ signature.
A tactically disciplined and focused defensive midfielder, Sands does the ugly part of the game well but also has the ability to spot forward passes and have an offensive impact on the game.
Reliable on the ball with a keen eye for a pass, Sands’ role on the pitch allows the team to relieve and play out of pressure whilst defensively he can cover dangerous areas.
That positional versatility is also something that will be priceless to Giovanni van Bronckhorst who has already demanded in-game flexibility from his team dependent on the situation.
Having both Sands and Lundstram as two players who can flit between midfielder and defence, allowing to adopt a back three in-game, is valuable.
After the 3-0 win over Dundee, Sands touched on having “so many different types of games” in Scotland and that “different things are required” to get through them [Rangers].
For someone so versatile these are apt comments as Rangers supporters get a glimpse into the variety of attributes the young American brings to the team and why his signature was so hotly contested.
Meanwhile, Rangers fans have adopted a new chant to the tune of a song which came to prominence in a classic Quentin Tarantino movie.
