Rangers Fan View: Alves leads way with perfect away performance in Perth

It’s not often you can use an adjective like perfect to describe Rangers these days. However, the 3-0 victory over St Johnstone showed that this team is getting stronger and is able to scrap and fight, as well as play a bit when it is required.

The overall team performance on the night was absolutely brilliant. If I had to nitpick, it would be that took us about half an hour to get going. We were well worthy of our victory, so I must strongly disagree with Tommy Wright’s assessment, as he said his team were the better side for 70 minutes. I am afraid he is talking absolute nonsense.

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The clean sheet was pleasing from my point of view. Bruno Alves’ return was marked with his best display in a Rangers shirt. He gave us a performance that we had been expecting from him since his signing, won everything in the air, even though St Johnstone had something close to 20 corners in the game, the big man got his head on everything that came into our box.

He wore the captain’s armband and he led like the big Portuguese colossus that he is. Over the 90 minutes, he was my man of the match. He had Steven Maclean for his evening meal. It was superlative from him.

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Further forward, Ryan Jack’s suspension was a worry for me coming into this one. But Graham Dorrans stepped up and bossed the midfield. His passing range was fantastic and he went on to dictate the game in the second half and deservedly got a goal, after smashing the bar. Two games in a row the real Graham Dorrans has run games for us. Hopefully he can keep this kind of performance level up.

Now on to the two-goal marmite man, Carlos Pena. He was much, much better. His control was better at times, especially in tighter areas. And this awful knack of popping up late in the box and ghosting in to score is terrible, isn’t it? His second goal was my favourite. I am a sucker for a thumping header and that’s what Pena produced from a James Tavernier cross. I was encouraged by his performance. In fact, if you want to be hypercritical as many people like to do, he could have had four on the night. For him, it’s still about adapting and finding match fitness, but four goals in four starts isn’t too bad for someone who is a midfielder.

Furthermore, I would like to give special mentions to two players: Alfredo Morelos and James Tavernier. Morelos is on a four-game dry spell. However, the way he worked for the team was very unselfish. He played a big part in Dorrans’ goal and he was excellent and drawing fouls to allow us to get up the park when St Johnstone had their series of corners.

Tavernier never gets the credit when he is due it. He was very sound defensively on the night, in keeping with the whole team, but his two crosses for Pena’s goals were excellent. He was always an outlet for us on the right, too.

It was a big, big win for us going into the semi-final on Sunday and one that I am sure will have put a smile on all our faces. Very pleasing display. Being cautiously optimistic, it looks to me like this team is beginning to click and just at the right time.