Rangers

Pat Nevin and Richard Foster join Liam McLeod to pick over the bones of another incredible weekend of Scottish football drama.

They look back on Ross County’s historic victory over Rangers and discuss what impact it could have at both ends of the table.

They also assess the jobs done by Tony Docherty and Nick Montgomery as Dundee secure their place in the top 6 at the expense of Hibs and Motherwell.

Listen to today's episode of the Scottish Football Podcast here.

Don Cowie says Rangers manager Philippe Clement apologised for not shaking his hand immediately following Ross County's shock win. (Scottish Sun)

Clement explained his reasoning behind not shaking hands with Cowie straight after the match by saying he wanted to think of how he would address his players after Rangers' defeat. (Daily Record)

Clement suggested the on-going Dens Park pitch saga and his side's "really, really strange preparation" were possible factors in Rangers' first defeat to Ross County. (The Scotsman)

St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park will host Dundee's game against Rangers if Dens Park fails another pitch inspection. (The Courier)

Rangers striker Sam Lammers equalled a 40-year-old club record by finding the back of the net in six Eredivisie games in succession for his loan club Utrecht. (The Herald)

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd says Ibrox captain James Tavernier edges out his team-mate Jack Butland plus Celtic's Matt O'Riley and Hearts' Lawrence Shankland as Scotland's player of the season. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Monday's gossip.

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Ross County's xG value of 2.96 in their historic win over Rangers is by far the highest any team have had against the Ibrox side this season.

Celtic put up 1.96 last weekend in the 3-3 derby draw, and Aberdeen's xG was 1.62 in their 3-1 win at Ibrox back in September.

It's also the most xG Rangers have conceded in a single game since Opta started collecting Scottish Premiership data in 2019-20.

Were you at the Global Energy Stadium or watch Rangers' shock 3-2 loss to Ross County on TV?

Give us your reaction here.

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement admits that the midweek postponement of their game against Dundee disrupted his side's preparations but admitted that their display in losing away to Ross County was "not good enough".

"I'm very disappointed because we didn't play a good game," he tells BBC Scotland.

"We gave away easy goals, leading 0-1, not a good first half, not enough quality on the ball then you need to chase the game suddenly. Then we were much better.

"We scored a goal, got more chances, but then you give hope to the opponent because they are leading and they throw themselves in front of the ball, then it's more difficult.

"With or without the ball it was not good enough today, so I'm very disappointed."

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Clive Lindsay, BBC Scotland Sport

Ross County went into the game against title hopefuls Rangers having only won once in six outings, but they remain unbeaten in their latest five home games and you could see why.

They were not daunted by the stature of the visitors and their record against them, taking the game to a side displaying a frailty that belied their status as title contenders.

County manager Don Cowie's changes to his starting line-up worked to perfection, with George Harmon, Josh Sims and Yan Dhanda in particular injecting a pace and sharpness that had the visiting defence looking well off the pace and Ross Laidlaw in inspired form in goal.

More displays like this and County are certainly capable of avoiding a relegation play-off.

More performances like this, when they squandered the first of two games in hand, and Rangers' hopes of catching a Celtic side who, as manager Brendan Rodgers mentioned on Saturday, come alive in the title run-in will quickly disappear.

They looked disjointed, error strewn, all too easily penetrated at the back and lacking a killer touch up front - hardly the characteristics of a title-winning team.

Meanwhile, manager Philippe Clement may now regret his decision to rotate his squad to give game time to some players who failed to live up to the big occasion and they will now likely have to win at Celtic Park in the final derby of the season if they are to keep their title dream alive.

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Philippe Clement has changed four from the Rangers side that fought back to claim a 3-3 draw in last weekend's Old Firm at Ibrox.

Borna Barisic returns at left-back, making only his fifth league start of 2024. Dujon Sterling drops to the bench.

Mohamed Diomande has had surgery on a thumb injury picked up last weekend, and is replaced by Kieran Dowell - who makes his first league start since 2 January.

Todd Cantwell and Abdallah Sima are the other changes, with Tom Lawrence on the bench and Scott Wright dropping out completely.

Ross County: Laidlaw, Efete, Randall, Baldwin, Leak, Harmon, Loturi, King, Sims, Dhanda, Murray.

Substitutes: Wickens, Borthwick-Jackson, Brown, Sheaf, Henderson, Khela, White, Brophy, Ayina.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Barisic, Lundstram, Dowell, Cantwell, Silva, Sima, Dessers.

Substitutes: McCrorie, Lawrence, Matondo, Sterling, Roofe, Balogun, King, Raskin, McCausland.

APOEL president Prodromos Petrides says he hopes to persuade Fluminese to renege on an agreement to sell Jefte to Rangers at the end of the season and that the on-loan 20-year-old left-back wants to stay with the Cypriot club. (Super Sport FM via Football Scotland, external)

Rangers manager Philippe Clement insists Nicolas Raskin remains part of his plans and says the Belgian midfielder, 23, has been 'unlucky' not to force his way back into the team after injury. (Glasgow Times, external)

Former Rangers manager Michael Beale thinks Celtic may have the advantage going into the final Old Firm derby of the season - but only because of how much pressure the referee will be under from an expectant home support. (Glasgow Evening Times, external)

Read the rest of Sunday's gossip here

Fulham, Sheffield United, Southampton and Queens Park Rangers are all plotting a move for Rangers striker Kemar Roofe, with the 31-year-old soon to be a free agent. (Football Insider), external

Former Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos could have his contract at Santos terminated after taking a 50% pay cut at the relegated Brazilian club. (Globo via Scottish Sun, external)

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

Everything looked to be going swimmingly for Philippe Clement when his Rangers side established a two-point lead over reigning champions Celtic in February.

However, Motherwell's surprise Ibrox victory in March ended an 11-game winning run and, although Celtic themselves slipped up the following day against Hearts, it was a missed opportunity that appears to have allowed an element of fragility to creep back into the Ibrox side.

Clement's side had a game in hand as Celtic came calling on Sunday, but another opportunity was missed to deliver a significant blow to the champions as the Glasgow rivals shared the spoils in a six-goal thriller.

With that game in hand at Dens Park being postponed for a second time in midweek, Rangers could be four points behind Celtic by the time they visit Ross County on Sunday.

Clement must shield his players from all the outside noise and concentrate on their trip to Dingwall. Fortunately for Rangers, the statistics suggest any slip-up there would be a monumental turn-up for the books.

While Clement's side have won their past six Premiership games on the road, Don Cowie's second-bottom hosts have only one victory in their latest six outings.

County have never beaten Rangers in 24 meetings - losing 20 of them - and have lost six in a row against the Glasgow side by an aggregate of 16-3 since a 3-3 draw in 2022.

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Nick Montgomery believes that the rearranged fixture between Dundee and Rangers will affect the "integrity" of the Scottish Premiership.

The twice postponed match will now take place after the final round of fixtures before the league's split.

Even if Nick Montgomery's side beat Motherwell this weekend and Dundee lose to Aberdeen, they will be forced to wait until Wednesday to find out whether or not they have a place in the top six.

“It’s disappointing [that] another game has been called off," said Montgomery.

"It probably just affects the last round [of fixtures] and the integrity of the competition.

“I saw the comments from Philippe Clement and Stuart [Kettlewell]. I’ve not really commented because it’s nothing really that I can control or that we can control.

"But everyone knew there was a real chance that game was going to be off. I think the forecast of rain later that afternoon meant it was going to be off.

“It’s such a shame there wasn’t an alternative venue arranged to play the game. Obviously for us, and for Rangers going into that game, you can understand Philippe's comments as well.

“It's nothing that we can control and doesn’t really affect our mindset going into the game because it’s a game we need to win.”

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Why should Scottish football fans care about Czech side Viktoria Plzen drawing with Italian heavyweights Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League?

The result on Thursday night has serious consequences for the Premiership, with the Czech Republic now having leapfrogged Scotland in the coefficient standings.

Not only will the winners of the top flight no longer gain automatic qualification to the Champions League from 2025/26, but there's also a knock on effect for those finishing further down the table.

Here's everything you need to know.

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Rangers' "winning mentality" should guide them to three victories this week, says former Ibrox goalkeeper Cammy Bell.

Philippe Clement's side visit Ross County on Sunday and Dundee on Wednesday, before facing Hearts at Hampden in next weekend's Scottish Cup semi-final.

“It's the business end of the season," Bell told the Scottish Football Podcast.

"These guys at Rangers and Celtic know how important these games are when building up towards the end of the season.

"There's no wriggle room for slipups at this moment in time, it'll be a difficult game, but I fully expect them to take three points.

"And then wherever and whenever the Dundee game happens, hopefully it is at Dens Park on Wednesday night next week, they will take three points from there again.

"They're going to be difficult games, but I fully believe they've got the squad there. They've got the mentality as well within the squad.

"That's one of the big things for me. They've got a mentality, a winning mentality now that Philippe Clement demands, and yeah, I expect three wins within the next week."

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John Souttar says he is making up for "lost time" after becoming a fixture in the Rangers defence this term.

The Scotland international struggled with injuries in his first season at Ibrox following a move from Hearts, but has racked up 35 appearances for the Premiership's meanest backline this season.

“Everyone knows last season for me was far from ideal and it wasn’t what I dreamed of when I signed here,” he said.

“But this season, so far, I have made up probably for lost time in the games that I have played and the minutes I have had on the pitch.

“I think towards the end of the season I will look back in the summer and how we have finished the season and hopefully it is a great end.

“I will be doing everything I can personally and everyone in the changing room will be collectively to make sure it is one we can remember for the rest of our lives.

“I know it is cliche but it is so important we go into every game with full concentration and full belief in what we have been doing for the last months since the gaffer came in."

Rangers and Celtic are in the chase to sign Australia goalkeeper Tom Glover, 26, from Middlesbrough. (FTBL), external

Dundee have held talks with Hibs and St Johnstone over a possible switch of venue for their twice postponed match with Rangers and have also asked St Mirren to 'name their price' over playing the game in Paisley. (Daily Mail)

Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.

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Philippe Clement says Wednesday's Dundee postponement was a "really bad advertisement" for Scottish football.

The game at Dens Park was called off after a second pitch inspection deemed the surface unplayable - making it the second time the clash between the sides has been put off.

"The Old Firm was a really good advertisement for Scottish football during the week," Clement said.

"There were so many people watching it, I hear it was even a record.

"Everybody was really positive about the game, the intensity, the scenario.

"It was a really positive thing for Scottish football then three days later it is a really bad advertisement for Scottish football and it could have been avoided by playing at another venue.

"Everybody knew what the situation was, the club didn't do the right things to have a decent football field and it's happened several times this season."

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement addressed the media today for the first time since his side's Scottish Premiership fixture with Dundee was postponed for a second time.

Here are the key points:

• Rangers offered to play the twice postponed game today but their offer was rejected.

• If Dens Park is unable to stage the match then the game may be played behind closed doors.

• The manager has been told that he will know where the rearranged fixture will take place by 12:00 BST on Tuesday 16 April.

• Clement joked that his side will "play the game on Mars" if asked to and that postponement "could've been avoided by playing at another venue".

• This has interrupted the players' busy schedule. His players were previously given two days off this month but will now have just one.

• The Rangers boss does not blame Dundee manager Tony Docherty nor his players for the postponement. He recognises that this has inconvenienced both sets of players.

• Mohamed Diomande will miss Sunday's trip to Dingwall to face Ross County. He has had an operation on a thumb injury sustained during last weekend's Old Firm derby. The manager insists this is not a long-term injury.