One week ago, I came home from work shivering and exhausted. I felt like I’d been hit by a bus. I missed the trip to the New Falkirk Stadium because something was clearly brewing, and by the time the Motherwell match at Ibrox came around, I couldn't muster the energy for that either.
A week later, I'm still in bed. What started as scarlet fever has developed into severe tonsillitis, and I'm still trying to battle through it. St Mirren was watched from my bed as well.
Fortunately, the three matches I missed delivered the perfect return: nine points from nine. Added to the win away at Aberdeen, Rangers have now strung together four consecutive league victories. Given the European disaster that preceded them, I think most of us would have happily accepted 12 points from 12 if it had been offered in the immediate aftermath of that debacle.
So what have we really learned?
For me, this remains very much a work in progress. It's worth reminding ourselves that Rangers brought in 14 new signings this summer. That's an enormous turnover and it was never going to click instantly. I remember a time in the 1990s when signing four players constituted a busy transfer window.
The results have arrived while the performances remain something of a mixed bag. Until Rangers become a fluent, hard-working and clinical unit, winning is the priority, regardless of whether the current run feels slightly unsustainable. It's only unsustainable if this team has already hit its ceiling. Right now, that ceiling still feels a long way off.
That is what encourages me. The team are still developing, still learning and still adapting. We are seeing shoots of recovery here and there, but there is much more improvement to come. Enjoy the wins, but do so with the knowledge that the best version of this Rangers team may still be some distance away.
What about the players?
Some have settled more quickly than others. Ivor Pandur, Olwethu Makhanya and James Penrice have all impressed defensively and have looked like strong additions.
The midfield remains a concern. Whether the balance isn't quite right yet or the best partnerships simply haven't emerged, Rangers still lack control in too many periods of games and can be knocked out of their rhythm far too easily.
From Neil, Raskin, Devlin, Dragojevic and Chukwuani, somebody now needs to step forward and make a position their own.
There are encouraging signs from the wide players and I think Rangers will create more chances as they settle. Up front, however, the team still lacks a talisman. The one player who had begun to establish himself suffered an injury that is set to rule him out for the remainder of 2026.
Overall, I still think things need to settle. Rangers need to establish a reliable core group and a degree of consistency. Once that happens, it will benefit everyone.
What about the manager?
Personally, I'd like to see Derek McInnes settle on a variation of a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or 4-5-1 system. I find the current 4-4-2 shape in possession can make Rangers look rigid, and at times too open. That's only my opinion, but I don't think it gets the best from this group.
I'd also like to see him show a little more willingness to trust some of the other players within the squad. The questions around Dragojevic remain valid and, after scoring the winner against St Mirren, is Bojan Miovski now deserving of more minutes?
With Lawrence Shankland injured, Miovski appears the closest like-for-like replacement. If that's the case, perhaps now is the time to give him a genuine opportunity.
I'd also like to see the manager be stronger with certain individuals. Manny Fernandez is an excellent footballer when fully focused and engaged. He has obvious quality and can be a real asset, but there are still too many moments when he drifts through games or makes avoidable mistakes.
He was fortunate that errors against Falkirk and St Mirren did not ultimately cost Rangers points. Perhaps McInnes needs to address that before a major mistake proves costly. Is there a role for Ben Godfrey in that conversation?
Of course, it's easy for me to say from the outside. The manager has Rangers on a run of four consecutive victories heading into a huge Old Firm double-header and expectations are naturally rising.
Rangers will create chances against Celtic on Sunday. The questions are whether they can take them, whether they can impose themselves on the game, and whether McInnes can manage proceedings effectively if momentum begins to swing.
It wasn't long ago that Rangers threw away a two-goal lead. Has enough changed since then?
Can the manager find the right balance, selection and formation to deliver the first truly defining moment of his reign? We're about to find out.
Read more:
- The one reason Derek McInnes believes Rangers have struggled from set-pieces
- The double-edged sword that explains Rangers' drop-off and winner vs St Mirren
The race is on. Not only for my own recovery and getting back into my seat at Ibrox, but for this team and this manager to show a waiting Rangers support that they are further along than many of us realise.
Ready? Aye. Ready.
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