A wee thread on Rangers v Celt*c based on facts and reality

When we beat them on penalties in 2016 after four years in the lower leagues the emotion and relief that day was special - it felt like we were back
To compete with their team who had won 5 in a row after our Alloa’s and Raith moments among others during 4 years felt special

We all thought “we were back” and bought into the Warburton is magic patter and going for 55

One month later we lost the cup final to Hibs

4 months on we were embarrassed and clueless when we went to CP still believing that 55 was achievable in our first year back - pumped 5-1

We celebrated a Clint Hill last minute equalizer against them that season to stop them beating us 4 league games in one season, in a game many predicted would be a cricket score - in grand scheme of things it meant very little other than one point in a shambolic first season back

One month later we would be battered at Ibrox 5-1 in a match where I’ve never seen so many cowards and imposters wearing the Rangers shirt in my life -

In reality, looking back
In Rangers squad of 18 players there was not one internationalist not one

That day C*ltic had 14

There was times during all these years back where we thought just to get a goal against them was some achievement

In reality they weren’t always that great a team - the batterings and the skelpings ultimately gave our players and support an inferiority complex for that time

Going back to 2017/18

Ibrox Sunday 11th March 2018

This team that had cheered drawing our rivals in the cup semi final had a chance to really make a title fight a reality

If Rangers won that match they’d have been 3 points behind with 8 games to play having played a game more

Windass put us in front and Candeias had us 2-1 ahead

Under Graeme Murty and with that squad it shows that Celt*c were not and still are not a million miles ahead

Rangers wouldn’t have won the league that season had they won that day, not with Murty in charge or those players

However, the inferiority complex within that squad because of precious beatings meant that we would still lose the game despite our rivals having 10 men for over 30 minutes of the match remaining

Another false dawn but still a squad with only 1 international in Bruno Alves

From that day 2.5 years ago
We have 2 players left in our squad
Morelos and Tav
They still have 7 - the nucleus of their squad - the spine of their team is still very much the same as that day in 2018
That same team who went on to pump us 5-1 and 4-0 in the space of a fortnight

So they have players now that went and battered us before Gerrard came on board

Since Gerrard came in not only have we beaten them twice at Parkhead we have now got back that feeling of no fear against them and no respect

When Ryan Jack gave us our first victory over them in a decade or so, it was relief and another false Dawn... but one we needed to get to where we are now

When Ryan Kent scores the equalizer against them later in that season after outplaying them for the full match at CP with 10 men after Morelos red card, we believed that we were the better team, but just not the finished article, losing a late goal killed that season stone dead

Then onto last season
A defeat at Ibrox which despite what many said was them outplaying Rangers, it was simply an even match decided by an early mistake and a last minute counter attack - maybe the power shift hadn’t changed after all the good work the previous season

Then we go onto the Betfred Cup Final
On Saturday Rangers have been praised for dominating the match and having total control and celt*c have been slaughtered from absolutely every angle possible

Let this sink in - Rangers played 10 x better in last seasons Cup final and lost

That maybe papers over the cracks for our rivals
To then go and beat them at CP at new year for the first time in over a decade was once again a massive massive step forward and also much of a relief that the monkey was off our backs, players, staff and supporters

No longer are we surprised, shocked and amazed that we can just score a goal against them like under Warburton, Murty and Caixinha
We have beaten them home and away convincingly and no luck has been involved
Now the talk is about consistency and winning trophies

Whether we win the league this season or not one thing is for sure
We had 2 seasons of absolute misery and drubbings in 2016/17 and 2017/18 added on to the smaller pride swallower seasons of 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16

That’s a long time to be miserable

But when you look at what’s been built in 2 seasons under Gerrard and the depth of quality in the squad and togetherness and contrast it to what’s going on across the city, you’d be a fool to think that a period of domination and success isn’t around the corner for Rangers

Those 5-1 drubbings they gave us with a team of no internationalists or real Rangers men amongst the dressing room can be their defining moments of the last 8/9 years - let them have it - we came through league 1 and 2 when no one knew if we’d ever get back to the top again

Right now it’s in Rangers hands to win this league

There’s not a better team in the league
And the only team that can stop Rangers is Rangers
The power shift has swung and the players, fans and staff need to grasp it and win silverware

Once the first trophy comes - enjoy the success of the 20s as much as we did in the 90s

Fingers are fucked

. WATP