Put simply, no we can't. This is not me being negative - far from it - I just don't believe we can ever properly gain revenge on Rangers for what happened in March unless we beat them in a similar match or dish out a thrashing like we did to Celtic a few days later. Put simply, the planets aligned to present a once in a million years opportunity for us to clinch a once in a generation defining moment. That we managed to lose a cup final to a side with just nine players and missing several others due to injury still hurts, despite the other remarkable scoreline that week, and always will do. So even if we win tomorrow, it won't be revenge as far as I'm concerned.
Anyway, enough about that, what are our chances of winning tomorrow? Well, we are the form team going into this game. We won our last match while Rangers have taken just one point from their last two fixtures. Of course, I jest - our win was our first in two months while the last week has been a blip in Rangers' season. Before they lost to Valencia in the Champions League they were unbeaten in all competitions; before they drew with Inverness Caley Thistle in the SPL they had a perfect domestic record. However, the last week shows that this Rangers side is not unbeatable. If we are prepared to go at them and take one of the few chances that comes our way then maybe, just maybe, we can spring a surprise. Of course, all this highlights the difference a last minute goal can make - had we drawn or lost to Aberdeen last Saturday I'd probably have been predicting a heavy defeat.
But we didn't lose and for the second time this season the 3-5-2 produced a victory. Danny Lennon will surely stick with that tomorrow. It allows the fullbacks David van Zanten and Jure Travner to get forward, with devastating effect in the latter's case, and the defensive line looks a lot more solid. I'd almost be tempted to go with the same team again. One possible change would be putting Hugh Murray into the middle of the park in place of Aaron Mooy. The young Aussie looks like he'll be a big player for us in the coming months, but a game against the SPL champions may be a bit too soon for him - especially with his lack of match practice. The steel and experience of Shuggy could be a better option, even if his form recently has been poor. The only other suggestion I'd make is using someone like Paul McQuade as the game wears on - his pace against the ageing Davie Weir in the last 20 minutes could work, just as it almost did with Craig Dargo in a certain game at Hampden...
The good news for Lennon is that his injury woes are beginning to get slightly better. David Barron, Craig Dargo and Paul Gallacher are all either back in training or will rejoin the first team squad next week, having trained with the under-19s this week. As an aside, I thought the kids and senior players were going to train together in this brave new era? That aside, we still have plenty of other injury problems with Steven Thomson, Lee Mair, Steven Robb, Nick Hegarty and possibly Sean Lynch (he's disappeared so I'm assuming he's crocked) all out. That rather limits Lennon's options although he can't be too concerned, having loaned out Ally Love and Mark McLennan this week.
This is due to be Walter Smith's last season at Ibrox, although his pals in the media seem to be trying to convince him to stay on the same way they tried, unsuccessfully, to get Henrik Larsson to hang around a few years back. Chances are he won't and will head off into retirement, leaving Ally McCoist and Saints legend Kenny McDowall to lead the side next season. Until then, you can be sure he will be wanting to go out on a high and the players will be wanting to make sure it happens. This time last year everyone reckoned the gap between the Old Firm and the chasing pack would narrow but it has gone the other way and it's already a two horse race for the SPL between Rangers and Celtic, with the Gers' win in the recent Old Firm game currently giving them the narrow edge. It wouldn't be a surprise if they both cleaned up in the cups as well, such is their level of dominance. It's weird how this has happened as in the last few years the likes of Dundee United did seem to be getting stronger. Perhaps the big two were keeping something in reserve.
Or perhaps it's because Rangers have finally found the key to the piggy bank and given Smith a few pennies to spend on his squad. And, using a tactic I have used several times in Football Manager, he decided to spend it solely on strikers. Admittedly, he only signed two and one of them - Nikica Jelavic - is currently injured. James Beattie is the other one and I thought he'd score goals for fun up here, but he's still to open his account. No doubt he'll do that tomorrow.
As if the threat of that happening isn't enough to worry about, there's also the Kenny Miller effect. The striker has been in sensational form this season, more than making up for the departure of Kris Boyd during the summer, and has an incredible 13 goals in the SPL so far this season. It's also almost exactly a decade since he famously scored five against Ibrox - and I'm always a bit worried when things like that come around.
There's also the former player factor in the shape of Kirk Broadfoot. The defender helped us win promotion in 2006 then helped us stay there a year later. He'd already agreed to sign for Rangers well before the run-in, but some of his post split performances were some of the best I've ever seen from a Saints player. After a slow start at Ibrox he's established himself in the first time and has also been in the Scotland squad, scoring on his debut. We all know what his forward runs are like and it wouldn't be a surprise if one of them produces a goal.
Aside from that lot, Rangers have plenty of other handy players. Steven Davis is probably the best midfielder in Scotland and Madjid Bougherra is arguably the best defender. Steven Naismith also seems to be in good form, Allan McGregor and Kyle Lafferty seem to have put their silliness behind them for the time being and leading them all through it is Davie Weir, who just keeps plugging on despite being rather old. Hopefully tomorrow's noon start is a bit too early for him!