Rangers players in unchartered territory as Scottish Premiership title hopes hang in balance
Keith Jackson believes Rangers are looking “nervous” in their bid to overhaul Hearts and win the Scottish Premiership title.
The Bears beat Hearts 4-2 at Ibrox on 15 February to breathe life into their title hopes, but those aspirations came crashing back down to earth last Sunday.
Although Rangers scored twice in the final 10 minutes against Livingston to secure a much-needed point in a 2-2 draw, the gap between themselves and league leaders Hearts is now four points.
Given the fact that Livingston are rooted to the bottom of the table, it was a huge opportunity wasted, and Danny Rohl will need his side to bounce back quickly against Celtic next weekend.
However, with 10 games to go, it’s clear that the players are suffering from the pressure of the title race.
Rangers’ players don’t have prior experience in title races – it could cost them
The Bears have drawn their last three away games, which shows they haven’t got what it takes to secure narrow wins when it matters most.
Speaking on the Daily Record Hotline Live on 25 February, journalist Jackson said he wasn’t convinced at all by what he saw in last week’s draw at Livingston.
He said: “I know that the stats say they battered Livingston. But they played without real purpose or aggression, and they waited for someone to do something.
| Opponent | Date |
| Celtic (h) | 1 March |
| St. Mirren (a) | 15 March |
| Aberdeen (h) | 21 March |
“It looked very nervous to me, and they were unsure of themselves.”
Ex-Hearts striker Ryan Stevenson added: “Not a lot of the players have been in title fights before, so the pressure that came off the back of the Hearts win raised the expectations of fans.”
The loser of this week’s Old Firm derby could essentially rule one team out of the title race, and if Martin O’Neill’s side were to win at Ibrox, then it would confirm that Rangers aren’t ready to be champions just yet.
Having spent big in the winter transfer window, it would be a travesty if the Bears were to fall short well before May, and it’s up to Rohl to get his team firing, especially away from home.
The two figures to blame if Rangers don’t win Scottish Premiership title
Unfortunately, this is all a product of the recruitment in the summer transfer window, which could be very costly.
Kevin Thelwell and Andrew Cavenagh prioritised signing young, unproven players, instead of experienced figures in the dressing room.
Several times this season, the Light Blues have been criticised for the lack of leadership within the squad, and that could come back to haunt them in May.
Right now, the task at hand is to see off Celtic in G51, but it’s clear that as the season approaches its end, the players will start to feel increasingly nervous.
As a result, their title hopes hang in the balance.
For more in-depth analysis on the Gers, visit Football Insider.