Games against Dundee United are rarely comfortable afternoons and with Easter Road still fresh in the memory, the performance at Parkhead hovering like a dark cloud and a tough night against Napoli still in the legs, they will be absolutely dying to take something from Ibrox.
We know what to expect – they will work at least 10% harder than they normally do, see Hibs for recent evidence – and they will have a game plan that is designed to destroy rather than create. Rangers tactics need to be stripped right back to the basics of effort, desire, commitment and bravery after what we have seen recently, a repeat of the attitude against Napoli is a must.
The Taysiders sit bottom of the table having had a horrendous start to the season and are yet to appoint a successor to Jim Goodwin but we all know how they will approach this game – like the proverbial cup final.
Rangers form seems like a relatively easy fix, when we play with pace and intensity we look great, a team playing to it’s strengths rather than concerning itself with what the opposition is doing, for 60 minutes and even with ten men, we acquitted ourselves well against a top side in mid-week doing exactly this, we played with a purpose.
Being without Tom Lawrence is an obvious blow, as is the continued absence of Ianis Hagi, but we still have enough creative players in the squad to get the win, however, Giovanni van Bronckhorst needs to get more goalscorers on the park, or at least, players who are capable of and have the intent to get into the box to score goals.
There will be a few changes to the starting XI, Alfredo Morelos will start again and give fans a much-needed lift, Ben Davies and Rabbi Matondo should also be given a chance to finally stake their claim for a regular spot. Davies in particular will be needed in the coming weeks with James Sands suspended.
On paper, it should be an easy afternoon but we all know that they will set up to make things difficult, a fast start from us and it shouldn’t be – I’m not sure I’d be going anywhere near social media if it isn’t.