Ten points clear? Can it really be true? No dough, yet already on course for four in a row? Who’d have imagined?

Ally McCoist came under immediate pressure after two bad European set backs and rightly so. Even in our current diminished circumstances Rangers must always strive to compete in Europe. That though is now a matter for next season and the focus has to be retaining the SPL title. In this respect at least it is a case of so far so good for McCoist.

That the last two wins were achieved without the services of Naismith, who has arguably been our most influential player this season, says a great deal. The Rangers squad currently has a good mix of battle hardened players who have tasted SPL success and new blood eager to claim a title for themselves.

Crucially though in Wylde, Lafferty (ten goals and counting people), Naismith and Jelavic we have a good attacking blend. For the majority of the Rangers support spoilt watching the greats of Smith and Advocaat’s eras there is a nagging sense that if we hadn’t seen such riches we could live with being poor. The only way to ensure the fans remain loyal is therefore to give them something to cheer. That not only means success but it also means an emphasis on the attack. With the exception of a handful of games Rangers should be going into every SPL match playing 4-4-2 with width.

Perhaps this view on our attacking abilities seems at odds with one the great clichés of the current Scottish football scene, namely that “Rangers grind out results”. Ok the weekend’s match was won by the narrowest of margins but stepping back our record in the last ten SPL games of the previous season and the first ten of the current season is:

St Johnstone 0 Rangers 2
Hamilton 0 Rangers 1
Aberdeen 0 Rangers 1
Rangers 2 St Mirren 1
Dundee Utd 0 Rangers 4
Rangers 0 Celtic 0
Motherwell 0 Rangers 5
Rangers 4 Hearts 0
Rangers 2 Dundee Utd 0
Kilmarnock 1 Rangers 5
Rangers 1 Hearts 1
St Johnstone 0 Rangers 2
Inverness 0 Rangers 2
Motherwell 0 Rangers 3
Rangers 2 Aberdeen 0
Dundee Utd 0 Rangers 1
Rangers 4 Celtic 2
Dunfermline 0 Rangers 4
Rangers 2 Kilmarnock 0
Rangers 1 Hibs 0

Played 20
Won 18
Drawn 2
Lost 0
Goals For 48
Goals Against 5

If that is dull efficient football then long may it continue.

McCoist rightly voiced a concern that the international week will damage our momentum. It is a legitimate concern but one that must surely be mitigated by Celtic’s continued huffing and puffing in Europe and the increasing pressure that is being placed on their manager. Are they all Neil Lennon? Time will tell.

The current advantage is more than any of us could have hoped for at the start of the season. In the aftermath of the crushing European exits it probably seemed unimaginable. It is encouraging and illustrates how quickly a new team is coming together and that perhaps Super Ally may have what it takes to be Rangers manager. It is though just a start and sooner or later Celtic will come back. After the beginning we had to the season though Rangers fans should quite rightly enjoy the current lead.

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