Rangers’ midweek trip to face Aberdeen around this time of year is usually one of the most hotly anticipated matches of the Scottish Premiership calendar.
The Dons have always sought to impose themselves on Rangers on these Wednesday visits and over the years the two sides have played out some crackers.
But with Aberdeen enjoying a remarkable start to the season under new manager Jimmy Thelin, the table-topping Dons are set to welcome Rangers in unfamiliar circumstances.
And ahead of the Scottish Premiership clash between Rangers and Aberdeen, Gers fans are growing tired of the same old excuses at Ibrox which they’re not hearing at Pittodrie.
Philippe Clement points to new Rangers signings
Rangers have been incredibly unconvincing this season. And they continue to be.
On league duties, the club has scored one away goal all campaign long and Philippe Clement’s squad have struggled to match the intensity of away grounds in Scotland.
Teams have outfought and outplayed Rangers teams devoid of ideas and inspiration with the club’s away a form a major cause for concern.
But even when Rangers have won – such as this weekend against St Mirren – performances have rarely been anything but turgid and unconvincing.
Philippe Clement’s excuse? Well, it’s a new-look Rangers team who are still getting used to the expectations at Ibrox and the rigours of the Scottish footballing calendar.
“We can do better,” said Clement when asked about his team’s performance in the 2-1 win over St Mirren.
“There were good things, there were moments that it was too slow, too sloppy.
“We started today with seven players who are new this season here at Rangers. We’re now almost end of October. Some are not even two months in the building.
“So step by step we try to integrate them in the squads, and like this to get them used to their teammates, to the club, to the expectations on and off the field. So that’s a work in progress.
“And the second half was for me much better, with more urgency, more quality also on the ball, and a higher tempo and better chances.”
Squad overhaul no problem for Aberdeen
Needless to say, Rangers fans are growing increasingly tired of this rhetoric.
Not least because Aberdeen, who operate on a fraction of Rangers’ albeit slashed budget, have managed to find consistency much quicker than their Glaswegian rivals.
Jimmy Thelin is just new in the door in the northeast, whilst Aberdeen started with five new signings compared to Rangers’ seven in the club’s 1-0 win over Dundee United at the weekend.
Rangers have nine new arrivals at the club in total this summer; the Dons have seven.
Rangers lost a number of the club’s old guard and most high profile players at the end of last season; so did Aberdeen.
Ok, so the Gers have had to contend with European football and the greater expectations, and not to mention bigger crowds, of playing at Ibrox.
Aberdeen are also overachieving as Rangers underachieve.
But the notion that the Dons’ seamless transition into a new era is miraculous whilst Rangers’ more systematic, patient approach is normal is raising a few eyebrows amongst fans.
Of course, if Rangers overcome Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday it will be a momentum building victory and answer a lot of questions about the club’s new-look squad.
But should Rangers fail to strike the necessary blow, those Philippe Clement appeals for patience and understanding are likely to fall on increasingly deaf ears.
