It’s been an interesting, if somewhat unexpected, shift in Rangers’ season, because the recent run of festive fixtures was approached with severe anxiety among the supporters.
On the evidence to that point, it seemed obvious Rangers wouldn’t negotiate a tricky run well and that any lingering hopes for the campaign might disappear with a whimper.
Why did it feel obvious? Because that’s all this squad had shown us. After the defeat at Tynecastle before Christmas, where there wasn’t even the hint of a performance, a further downturn felt inevitable.
Instead, Rangers delivered five solid performances on the bounce with wins over St Mirren, Motherwell, Celtic and two against Aberdeen. They’ve put themselves in a far more secure position and, importantly, strengthened the squad with more reinforcements seemingly on the way.
We asked the players to respond. We asked Danny Rohl to draw a reaction from this group. And we challenged Andrew Cavanagh to go out in January and give Rangers the platform to kick on.
It’s fair to say all three have delivered to date. Suddenly, the challenge of a title looks “doable” - a notion that would have raised eyebrows even among the optimists just a month ago.
So what now? Simple: Rangers are only ever as good as their last game. Momentum remains everything. With the exception of the European ties, which offer little beyond rhythm and confidence, each domestic match must bring incremental improvement — individually and collectively.
Three new signings have arrived and none of them have been cheap. They should strengthen the squad and raise competition, but it still comes down to individuals stepping up. Rangers must keep winning and players must continue to improve. Bojan Miovski, Youssef Chermiti and another forward must find consistent scoring form. John Souttar has to maintain his level, as do Mo Diomande and Nico Raskin.
Rangers need several components to click at once and they need to sustain results. Having come through a tough run, it’s striking how quickly trips to Hibs and Motherwell now loom, along with home meetings against Hearts and Celtic. They’re closer than people think. Every match becomes a cup final, starting with Dundee this weekend, a game that presents a real opportunity to narrow the gap as the top two face each other.
But for the first time in a long while, Rangers have a collective. There’s a genuine sense of everyone pulling in the same direction, something you can feel both at matches and across social platforms. Nobody is shouting from the rooftops, given recent history, but there is a quiet confidence about how Rangers are going about their business.
In Rohl, Rangers may have stumbled upon exactly what the club needed. He is proud to be here; there’s no lingering sense that supporters should feel grateful to the man in the dugout. He understands that winning is the only metric. He speaks to the fans - nobody else.
“Danny, what pleased you about the win tonight?” came the question at Pittodrie.
“Three points. Clean sheet. Job done,” he replied.
For Rohl, it really is that simple. No frills. He knows the squad’s limitations, but Rangers are organised, disciplined and ready for the challenges ahead. Ruthlessly efficient. His remit is clear: keep winning.
Players are responding. He’s getting a tune out of a group that previously lacked identity or expectation. In Andreas Skov Olsen, he now has genuine quality and Rangers can’t stop there. More threats are needed if the team is to become what it must be. The head coach has been clear: Rangers must remain brave in the transfer market.
That same bravery will be needed on the pitch. Playing with little expectation is one thing; playing in a title race is entirely different. The pressure is back but so too is togetherness.
Rangers are unified, on and off the field. Most importantly, the quiet belief is returning.
The club is potentially well‑placed to mount a title challenge. The message internally is simple: one game at a time. Rohl's Rangers have given themselves an outside chance. Over the coming weeks, they can push on and suddenly everything could be there for the taking.
Read more:
- How Danny Rohl is using the Rangers academy to help first-team prepare for matches
- Rangers could face Queen's Park in Scottish Cup amid possible Stranraer omission
And, crucially, the team and support feel galvanised in a way not seen for years. There’s no boasting, no bold proclamations about what will happen next. Rangers are simply arming themselves to push forward because the league is wide open and, quietly, they believe they can achieve something.
Now they must back up a growing belief.
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