Despite that, they're doing rather well in the SPL. The only reason they aren't top of the league is because their game against Dundee United last week was abandoned when they were 1-0 up. The clearout hasn't happened yet, so they still have plenty of good players. I seem to remember we were laughing at them in 2000 as their form was comically bad, only to lose 7-1. And if you want a bad omen, that was almost exactly nine years ago.
We all know what tactic we'll go with in a bid to avoid such a heavy defeat 4-5-1. It rarely works - we were hammered with it at Parkhead, although did have a man sent off. We usually lose an early goal and end up chasing the game, but that doesn't stop Gus MacPherson using it for these games. Billy Mehmet will almost certainly be the lone striker. I could cope with it a bit more if we had some wingers in the five man midfield, but chances are it will be five central midfielders - Hugh Murray, Andy Dorman, Stephen McGinn, Steven Thomson and one of Stephen O'Donnell and Garry Brady. Hardly an ideal way of breaking quickly when one of the opposition's attacks break down.
There will definitely be a change in defence, with Chris Innes coming in for the suspended Lee Mair. Mair's absence is not necessarily a bad thing. I haven't been impressed with him since he arrived in the summer and John Potter has looked the better of the pair. Innes didn't do badly as a sub against Hearts and probably deserves his chance - and he'll certainly have his hands full tomorrow. Watching the horror show/joyous victory form the stands will be the injured pack of Chris Smith, Mo Camara, Steven Robb, Tom Brighton and Craig Dargo. Hopefully someone will have recovered enough to give us a full seven subs.
They might not be impressive against Europe, or the big teams, but the Rangers strikeforce is enough to have me worried. Kris Boyd loves games against the supposedly lesser SPL sides, while Kenny Miller scored five times against us in the 7-1 drubbing I mentioned earlier. If one of those two doesn't play, Walter Smith can always turn to Nacho Novo, who has pace our team can only dream of. In short, the back four will be in for a pretty torrid time. especially with talented midfielders like Steve Davis and Pedro Mendes supplying the ammunition.
Smith does also go negative at times, although I can't see him starting with one striker tomorrow. Rangers' UEFA Cup run was based on strength at the back and most of those players, such as Davie Weir, Sasa Papac and Madjid Bougherra, are still there. The fact a team like Rangers still uses a 39-year-old like Weir in the Champions League perhaps highlights just how bad the financial problems. Also playing at the back recently has been youngster Danny Wilson, while former Saint Kirk Broadfoot probably isn't fit enough to make his first appearance of the season.