The 12 players we think are good enough for Rangers | OneFootball

It’s worth looking at Rangers’ squad in a positive light, because it is not all bad at Ibrox (we’re still saying that regardless of where we play) despite an indifferent start to the season and the abundantly clear improvements we still need to make.

So in a rare burst of sunshine from your favourite grumpy and miserable Rangers fan site, Ibrox Noise bigs up a few bits and pieces in this squad that we kind of are happy with.

We begin in goals:

Jack Butland may have taken his eye off the ball and lost form from March onwards, but he’s been a bit more like it this season. Not remarkable, but he’s looking a little better. He is a very capable keeper, maybe a speck overrated last season, but good.

There’s also Liam Kelly, champing at the bit to get his chance. He was great in preseason and he will play for the shirt in a way Butland doesn’t.

We are fairly content with these two pushing each other for the shirt for now.

In defence the highlights:

John Souttar:

Only now starting to get the recognition – bit of a coincidence that Connor Goldson is gone, isn’t it? Souttar has shown real grit, and put himself where it hurts. He has played for the shirt and fans in a way the former vice-captain never did. We like Souttar a lot and we think Walter would have too. A bit of the David Weir and Davie McPherson about him.

Leon Balogun:

The best defender in Scotland on his day, the big man is fast, powerful, excellent in the tackle and has a pocket big enough for Kyogo – he can even play RB. He is not getting any younger but he’s the kind of defender, like Souttar, that Walter would have liked.

Robin Propper:

It’s hard to really form an opinion – he looked great v Motherwell despite the OG, but did struggle v Kyiv in a match he shouldn’t have started. His untimely injury v Saints summed up Rangers’ injury plight these days. But he looks like he could be a fine stopper.

Moving onto midfield now:

Connor Barron:

An excellent bargain-busting signing, Barron is probably one of the most popular players at the club now. He is a self-confessed Aberdeen fan but he’s dropped all that for realising his dreams playing at a real football team, and he’s been remarkable for us. Just one slightly-lesser display v Kyiv, Barron has otherwise been a steal and he’s a real leader out there already. We’d have him start every match. He will only get better and he’s only 21. What a career for this club he could have.

Nico Raskin:

He’s a great player, similar in some ways to Barron without the leadership qualities his team mate has, but he’s quick, technically strong, and despite his massively-long dip in form more or less the whole of last season, the Belgian has a lot of talent. Can he put it together in a package and get his head in the game too? We hope so.

Dujon Sterling:

He’s regained his DM slot and in fact, defying our cynicism, Philippe Clement pitched him back into that position again v St Johnstone. He’s going to take a little adjusting back in there, but he and Barron has so much potential. Everyone loves Sterling.

Wings:

Oscar Cortes:

Quick, tricky and scores goals, the Colombian is chock-full of dynamic pace and quality, and he’s a potentially brilliant signing. Of course, we’ve lost him for God knows how long, but when he’s fit and in the zone, the boy is exceptional. Just a pity we might not see him for some time.

Vaclav Cerny:

Not ours, true, but a marquee winger with skill and goals, the Czech international is one we’d love to keep and he’s got excellent vision not to mention that he can beat players. Can we hold onto a guy worth about £10M? Tall order.

Striker:

Danilo:

We do like him, a lot of potential there, but he needs to get fit first. There’s goals in the boy for sure.

Cyriel Dessers:

Winning more and more fans over, the Nigerian is in the form, maybe, of his life, and has 4 in 5 this season. We like him, and we trust him a lot more than the bulk of supporters do – he will keep scoring if he’s given the ammo. But even a hat trick a match will still have some fans whining that he’s missed too many.

NB:

There was no attacking midfield here, simply because all the options aren’t good enough. Nothing more complicated that that.

We also omitted Ridvan despite liking him a tonne, because the boy just cannot sustain fitness for us. You could argue the same for Cortes, in truth.

But otherwise that’s some positivity for you; if you didn’t see a player mentioned otherwise, we don’t like or rate him (any more).

Is what we have good enough to win the league? That remains a tall order for now.