Earlier this season Rangers went three SPL games in a row without a goal, something they had never done in all the years since the SPL had been in existence, and now they find themselves without a goal in two games heading to Falkirk (albeit one match was against Stuttgart).

Quite simply, it’s not championship form, and Walter Smith will be hoping his strikers can find their scoring touch against the Bairns, or else he may find his club a few points adrift of Celtic heading into the heavy Christmas fixture list.

The man who missed most of the chances a week ago against Aberdeen was the enigmatic Kris Boyd - he really is a conundrum. He once again leads the goalscoring chart in the top flight, but if he’s to finish as Xmas number one, then he will need to start taking his chances.

We will have an exclusive interview with the Rangers striker in the lead-up to the Falkirk game, and it will be very interesting to hear what he has to say, because he will know only too well that he’s not been at the top of his game in recent weeks. In fact, having openly declared he wanted his opportunity to start in the Champions League (and then being granted it by Walter Smith), Boyd failed to shine.

He missed the one glaring chance Rangers had against Stuttgart, and perhaps that knocked his confidence ahead of the clash at Pittodrie - whether that’s the case or not, he must not let those games play on his mind away at Falkirk.

Smith also confessed after the Aberdeen game that he craves a creative wide player; one who can take players on and produce a quality end result - a good ball into the box (something in all fairness Boyd hasn’t had much of in recent times). Unfortunately it’s a mute point as the Gers will not have money to spend in January, so they will have to make do with what they have already got (John Fleck). Jerome Rothen was signed in the summer, but he has not lived up to his billing, and has been ill of late. The Frenchman doesn’t have the pace to beat a defender, although perhaps he does have the ability to send in a searching final ball (hence why Smith has utilised him on the right when he’s been fit - so he can cut back and cross into the box). Service will once again be key on Saturday.

Falkirk on the other hand will no doubt feel they have a chance against Rangers at home. Eddie May has got his team playing some good stuff, and even although they lost at Hibs a week back, they showed that they are a much-improved side. I admire the job May has done, without any real funds, and I admire the decision of the Falkirk board to stick with him even in troubled times. A few weeks back Falkirk showed real class, as well as fight, against Celtic (when they finished with a point in a 3-3 draw), and May will be asking for more of the same against Rangers. If they can pass the ball with the same accuracy against this half of the Old Firm then I don’t see any reason why they can’t finish with a similar result.

It certainly will be an interesting game in front of the ESPN cameras - and don’t choke on your lunch if you hear our commentator Derek Rae announce that Pele is starting for Falkirk. No the legend hasn’t come out of retirement, the Bairns have signed his namesake, and we expect him to start.