As the Scottish Premiership season prepares to break for the winter, Rangers fans will be reflecting on a rollercoaster six months.
After overseeing a substantial squad overhaul, Michael Beale lost the room at Ibrox and the Board acted quickly to bring in Philippe Clement.
Since then Rangers have gone on to lift the League Cup – a trophy win 13 years in the waiting – and qualify for the Last 16 of the Europa League.
Clement too has cut the Celtic lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to within two points with cautious optimism returning to the southside of Glasgow.
Here’s our Rangers News mid-season preview as Cameron Willis and Gavin Kelly look forward to what the second half of the campaign might bring for this Rangers squad:
Rangers News hopes & expectations
Cameron Willis: “It’s hard not to get carried away at Rangers and – against the backdrop trolling soundbites across the city – plenty will be claiming they’ve heard it all before.
“But even amid the chaos of that Celtic Park defeat, there were positives to take for Philippe Clement as his injury-ravaged squad amble to the winter break.
“Having already landed the League Cup, and qualified for the Europa League, the minimum expectation for Rangers has got to be lifting the Premiership trophy.
“Our rivals will obviously provide stiff competition but if we’re going into this settling for second best, then Clement isn’t the man we all thought he was. I don’t think he will, or we will, either.
“On top of that, a Scottish Cup Final and solid run in the Europa League would cap a fine season and I’m not even going to jinx it with talk of a quadruple and a party in Dublin.
“The thing is under Philippe Clement, Rangers now have room to dream and as big talk comes out the eastend, I think we can be quietly optimistic about our chances.
“January is crucial for both sides and Rangers need to go out and add the attacking quality which will blow everyone else in the league away.”
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Gavin Kelly: “As a wise man once said, ‘Rangers are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get’. Or words to that effect.
“Under Steven Gerrard we could go into the winter break flying and come out the other side looking like a different team.
“The good thing is, we have momentum under Philippe Clement whilst those on the other side of the city are almost waiting for something to happen so that they can vent their frustrations.
“The mindset has changed on both sides of the Old Firm and a treble is no longer fantasy, the Scottish Premiership title has to be the target and primary focus though.”
Ibrox transfer window verdict
CW: “Much maligned in the early part of the season, Michael Beale’s summer signings have been largely hit or miss as things stand.
“Rangers underwent a substantial overhaul in the summer but the squad still needs major work and this January is going to be an interesting one for many reasons.
“Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Abdallah Sima and Leon Balogun get thumbs up; the jury is still very much out on Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Jose Cifuentes, who are coincidentally the most expensive of the bunch, whilst injury has ravaged Kieran Dowell’s start.
“If Rangers can start to get their injured players back it’ll make a huge difference but fans expect some strong business to be done this month.
“Fabio Silva has already signed on a loan deal from Wolves but another striker is a must for Rangers. A right-winger is another on the wishlist whilst a midfielder and left-back wouldn’t go amiss either.”
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GK: “If you’d asked me this two months ago, you’d have got an entirely different response.
“Jack Butland has been different class and is well on his way to joining names like Chris Woods, Andy Goram and Allan McGregor.
“Leon Balogun, a signing I was unhappy about with at the time, has proven all the doubters wrong and is showing a repeat of the form from our last title winning campaign.
“Danilo, Jose Cifuentes and Dujon Sterling have been unlucky but look more than capable of being quality additions over time and Kieran Dowell, on a free, was worth the punt despite his injury problems.
“We’re now at the stage where only Sam Lammers looks like he isn’t going to make the grade with Cyriel Dessers looking like a new player under Philippe Clement.
“Abdallah Sima might only be on loan but we have to be talking to David Weir at Brighton about what our options are for a permanent deal he’s been that good.
“There are areas of weakness that need to be addressed but the gaffer has shown that he can get a tune out of this squad.”
Biggest reason for Rangers fans to be positive
CW: “It has to be Philippe Clement, who has really begun to fill that blue suit and brown brogues after years of disappointment.
“Not since Steven Gerrard have Rangers had a manager with the necessary bite to handle the media, the pressure and the expectation and it’s been a very bright start.
“The squad requires a decent amount of surgery and yet Clement has answered questions which hung over Beale nearly a year into the job.
“The League Cup trophy, although Scotland’s smallest prize, could be massive for Clement as looks to build at Rangers.
“He talks a good game, appears to have won over the players, and is delivering in the big moments. And he’s not even had five minutes to properly put his stamp on things either.”
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GK: “Philippe Clement – a proper football manager.
“He doesn’t get too high or too low, he also doesn’t get trapped by journalists at press conferences and always says the right thing.
“More importantly, he has instantly instilled the right mindset into a squad that was being battered from pillar to post.
“The board now needs to back him.”
Biggest reason for Ibrox support to be negative
CW: “Maybe we don’t want to say it, but there is still a huge question mark over this Rangers team’s mentality against Celtic.
“Since Steven Gerrard left – the ex-Liverpool captaining dominating the Old Firm fixture – Rangers have won only once in 90 minutes against their eternal rivals. And that was a Michael Beale dead rubber.
“It’s a trend which has got to change if Rangers are to be successful in Scotland, with all the other cogs helping to fine tune the Ibrox machine in lieu of doing so.
“Transfers, training camps, and improved fitness will only go so far if this side cannot overcome the mental hurdle that they have constructed in the face of this challenge.
“Whilst we also need to get more consistent in overcoming the rest in Scotland, if we can find a way to swing that Old Firm pendulum back in our favour it’ll go a long way to being consistently successful.”
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GK: “If the board doesn’t back Philippe Clement.
“We have one fit striker, three wingers who are hardly prolific goalscorers, a midfield that is hanging by a thread and yet we are still winning games.
“He needs quality for both the short and long term.
“We gambled in the summer of 2021 and the winter of 2022 and it backfired both times, get is right and we can win the league.”
Breakout Rangers star for 23/24
CW: “It’ll come as no surprise that it’s 20-year-old Ross McCausland.
“The young Northern Irishman hasn’t looked back since being handed a chance by Steven Davis during the Ulsterman’s temporary stint in charge.
“A bright and energetic winger who has an eye for a pass and strong finish, there are imperfections in the kid’s game but the future certainly looks bright.
“Handed a new contract during the season, he’s really the only young player – unless we can count Abdallah Sima – who has impacted the squad.”
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GK: “Ross McCausland by a country mile.
“Needs to work on his decision making at times in terms of when to release the ball but has been a breath of fresh air.
“Arguably our first-choice right winger now.”
Where will Rangers finish in Scottish Premiership
CW: “Top of the league.
“I don’t actually think this is all that bold, I’ll be honest. This is likely to be an entertaining season but Celtic have lost concentration a few times and Rangers look the more interesting proposition as things stand.
“Having already lifted the League Cup and with a European foray to come, how Philippe Clement works with and adds to the squad in January is also a source of excitement.
“I am backing Rangers to lift the Scottish Premiership this season and I think there will be more than a few across the city eating their words come May.”
GK: “A lot will depend on injuries but I think this Rangers team will get more points than Celtic over the next 20 league games – we can win the league under Philippe Clement.
“As always, the derbies will be key.”
