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It's been exactly five months since Rangers started their competitive season. The World Cup Final was still to be played, most of us were on our summer holidays and it's fair to say (new manager notwithstanding) few of us were confident about making much progress (that's progress) in the Europa League again this season. Fast forward to mid-December and a fairly impressive run in the competition reaches an important fork in the road this Thursday evening in Austria. It's quite simple: win, and we're through to the knockout stages despite being the fourth seeded team. Lose, and we're out. Now, speaking on the Gersnet Podcast this week, I was keen to highlight the positives of going further in Europe. Sure, we've already played over 30 games this season so we don't really need any more matches than we have already but there are too many good reasons not to want a win. First and foremost, the income from going through keeps us ahead of schedule in the Steven Gerrard rebuild - for it's easy to forget we've still only just started that. Secondly, the profile from reaching the latter stages could be useful in terms of attracting any new players in future transfer windows. Finally, and perhaps most importantly in the short term, the morale boost would prove invaluable to a team that has looked somewhat jaded in recent days. The loss to Aberdeen, followed by a dreadful draw in Dundee on Sunday, means our good work at Tynecastle the previous week was undone in a matter of a few days. If (and it remains a big if) we want to make an SPFL title challenge, then momentum has to be built up and maintained for the rest of this month in particular. Ergo, whilst a win over Rapid may not win us anything domestically, it could still prove vital. Unfortunately, despite criticisms of the manager for tinkering too often with his line-ups, more changes are likely to the starting XI for this game. It appears Ryan Kent is injured again and didn't travel whilst Candeias and Rossiter are both unavailable as well - the former to suspension after his ridiculous red card versus Villarreal, whilst the latter wasn't named in the 25 man squad in August. The good news is Steven Gerrard still has plenty options at his disposal, not least a return to action for Morelos and Arfield after recent SPFL suspensions. Meanwhile Borna Barisic is available after missing most of the Europa campaign with injury. We should be able to name a strong team. Trying to anticipate a Gerrard starting line-up can be a fool's errand though and the defence is notoriously hard to predict. Yes, Allan McGregor and James Tavernier will be first picks but you can perm any three from six for the other roles. Despite some poor form, I think Connor Goldson remains the pick of the central bunch for me so he should start and it may be a coin toss to see who partners him between McAuley and Katic who perhaps deserves a return to the side ahead of Joe Worrall. At left back, Jon Flanagan started in the corresponding fixture at Ibrox two months ago as he was selected 'to do a specific job' by the manager that evening. Some poor form since means Barisic may be more likely but it wouldn't be a major surprise to see the Croatian actually play in front of Andy Halliday on the left flank with the latter doing well at left back so far when called upon. Indeed, it will be further forward in the team where Gerrard will have vital choices to make after two disappointing attacking performances in the Scottish league. One would expect Morelos will lead the line but who plays behind him is less certain. As touched on above, could Barisic feature on the left or might the industry and unpredictability of Kyle Lafferty may be preferred? Eros Grezda is another option but he should start on the right due to Candeias' suspension. Glenn Middleton has struggled of late so it will be the bench for him. Centrally, we've missed the late runs and goal threat of Scott Arfield so he should be a stick on to return to the side. That leaves us two more defensive roles to fill. Although Ryan Jack is another who hasn't really impressed in recent weeks, I think he has been better than the disappointing Coulibaly. It's a shame the on-loan Angers player hasn't been able to find his form after a family bereavement and it will be very interesting to see if he's favoured over Ovie Ejaria and Ross McCrorie who are our other options in midfield. In any case, Rangers will have to look after and use the ball a lot better than they've done of late if they've not only to keep Vienna on the back-foot but create the kind of chances we'll need if we're to win. Even after two awful league results, I'm starting to get excited ahead of the game on Thursday. As the butterflies rise in my stomach I'm hoping this is equating to the roller-coaster climbing again towards another exciting run of good results. It's that kind of pace and tempo we'll need if we're to turnaround the disappointment of the last week and right those wrongs. We're more than capable of winning - let's hope all the players selected have that same confidence and belief. Possible team (4-2-3-1):

I'm loving the sympathetic tone in the press. Talk of the Celtic "family" rallying around poor Leigh. If this was a Gers player the tone would be less than sympathetic.

It's been too many points dropped, we should be topping the league. Though despite that I'm encouraged that we're still sitting in second with a game in hand over those directly below us and only 2 points off the top.

Nobody will be able to afford to buy the top with his name on it

Eaves aside, I think a striker with genuine aerial ability is common sense when you have crossers like Barisic, Middleton and Tavernier in the team. There’s no need to associate a tall striker with poor quality and style of football, Bayern have shown how to properly use a targetman for years.

Am I the only one that is completely left cold with us being linked with 6 foot 5 striker? We need a striker with craft, that can hold the ball and play other players into the game. The idea of introducing a tall striker just gives me the impression that we will end up going route one and insist with this nonsense tactic of lumping balls into the box ad nauseum. How many crosses do we have to put over before we get that it doesn't work? 6 foot 5 Eaves? No thanks. I'd rather go for the Shankland at Ayr United.

I was lucky to see Fachetti do that very thing. Wasn’t good enough, though. 1-0.

I’ve noticed on Twitter now that the common answer for an MSP response when they even acknowledge any post to them questioning their thoughts on the Paedophile Ring that operated at Celtic Park is; “I’ve not heard of that, please email me”. Now, I’ve seen two very high profile cases of this recently. Firstly is from Humza Yousaf. This man is the SNP’s / Scottish Justice Minister. If there is anyone that is supposed to have their finger on the pulse of the courts and high profile cases, then he’s your man. So he apparently doesn’t know about the case. If he’s somehow missed it, then it’s gross incompitence. Just yesterday, Hannah Bardell, the SNP’s Sports and Media spokesperson upon questioning by Helene Gray (mother of Celtic victim Andrew Gray - also same scenario for Yousaf) denied knowledge of the case(s). Again, for someone who is supposed to be focussed on Sport and Media, you would think they would be aware of the ongoing conveyor belt of paeodphiles being convicted, all operating out of Celtic Park. But, alas, no. Again, is it incompitence? Surely the chances of both high profile SNP MSPs in such prominent relevant positions can’t be that poor at their job that they miss these multiple recent and current cases? It is of note that on these two cases, it wasn’t the previous stock response of “ongoing case, can’t comment” opt out. It is also worth noting that Ms Burrell also copped out by noting that the questioner, Mrs Gray, wasn’t in her constituency. So even though she’s the Sports spokeswoman, she isn’t willing to take a question about the biggest scandal in sporting history as the complainant isn’t her constituent. So the real question is - have the SNP got a party policy that upon pressure to answer this question they simply reply, “I’ve not heard about this, please contact me via email?”. Surely that must be the case? The previously mentioned “ongoing case” opt out is no longer valid. Even more sinister, the pressure for these Ministers to avoid this topic must be so great that they are more willing to publically humiliate themselves and tarnish their professional reputation by publically feigning buffoonery than to even discuss what is all over the papers. Why are the SNP so keen to kill this story? If the SNP are to ever even consider getting votes from a large proportion of Scottish society, they must be seen as acting in a transparent and fair manner, and they are currently completely blowing any signs of acting in this way out the water. Again, it is sinister.

We'll get more room to play in this game than in the previous two and if we play well we've a good chance.

I doubt we could afford Ralph Brand today. He'd be too busy collecting CL medals

Just a point of interest...They were chatting about the trials and tribulations of Southampton on TalkSport this afternoon and the south coast correspondent said Davis to Rangers is a certainty

I would have every one of the searched before I let them in .

I wonder if Davie Provan will say that "It’s a shortage of brains."

Just call him Willie (Vass)

We need different options so as to provide possible solutions to different problems that will arise.

It would certainly help placate the support in the short-term and you'd hope it would boost the players confidence/belief,... but I think for some that is becoming fragile as they clock up more gametime at this level than their bodies have ever experienced. Coming at the end of a hectic first half of the season, the December fixture list is brutal and I think for some players, it is becoming an issue. With that in mind, you're probably right wrt the importance of a 'mental boost' at this stage. IMO we were unlucky to get Celtic at the end of a brutal August and I think the same has happened wrt December. A comparative lack of squad depth/quality gives them a decided advantage wrt dates. Looking ahead, I think the financial angle is huge. An extra 3M with the possibility of more could be a quality addition in a future window and bottomline, to progress, that is what we need to bring in.

What a pleasant thing to say about Rangers players (loan or otherwise, they are ours right now) You should be embarrassed by that comment.

I note that the papers are stating that Cairney worked at Celtic Boys Club. He was actually the main team kitman, not the Boys Club.

We could put it into every household that watches the coming old firm game with a banner the full length of the Govan stand .

Before your time, dB, but on your definition of a 10, the exemplar is Ralph Brand. He had his 82nd birthday the other day so I suppose it would be asking too much to bring him back.

Correct in every respect but particularly with regard to Conservative and Labour MSPs.

Decent listen, mostly down to the common sense and IMO relevant logic coming from the Rev.I.M. Jolly I don't understand anyone not caring that much about getting through to the European KO stages or not. It's tangible prestige that comes with financial reward. I'd estimate at around a minimum of 3M sterling (although by the time we'd be paid part of that it might double given exchange rates/brexit shambles & effects ).

Another point I wanted to make is; The rest of the MSPs aren’t covering themselves with glory. If the Conservatives or Labour want to show themselves to have any credibility, they must also raise their head above the parapet and ask the question as to why this hasn’t been investigated as a full case. These parties are in danger of losing any chance of vote from me if they continue to be complicit in this cover up via their silence, and I’m sure I’m not alone where this is concerned. The recent petition, which was well intended but not executed in the best way, had tens of thousands of signatures. I’m sure this is a good indicator of how many votes are at peril if they continue to present this absolute horror story doesn’t exist. What is even more dangerous is that the more they ignore this, the more likely it is to happen again. What kind of message does it give out to other clubs who stumble across this horror? The message it gives is that you may as well cover it up, because there will be zero repercussion. What is to say that this doesn’t apply to other large institutes? They will just use Celtic as a precedent.

How can you be absolutely certain about Eaves, yet think Sadiq deserves a chance? I'm as optimistic as you can get when it comes to players, any player, but Sadiq is brutal; the boy's a donkey. (He played in the Semi because Morelos and Lafferty were unavailable. There was literally no one else.)

Plus for Inter now is that they may get to play at Ibrox in the Spring.

Hmm the day he slipped on his arse against Chelsea cost me £36,000 he has a long way to go before he gets in my good books ? .

Stephane Guivarche. A special mention must go to Oleg Salenko, who scored 5 in a WC match and looked useless in a Rangers shirt.

I doubt Klopp is too concerned because they qualified and Mane helped them get all the way to the final in 2017/18. I'll gladly take Morelos missing a sitter or two on Thursday if we qualify. As an aside, I'm disappointed Internazionale couldn't beat PSV. I like Inter and prefer English sides to go out.

I'm confused how you sign a player with certainty of success. I've seen us sign flops who've had world cup winner medals in their pocket. As with most things in life, you start out with opinions and only after the event do you acquire facts.

Ejaria will stay, as will Flanagan. And Gerrard has been quoted, I believe, as saying he wants Worral to stay. Sadiq will go, almost certainly.

A good majority will say don’t buy from it as it’s owned by SD.

I thought Halliday played like Guardiola instructs Walker or Delph at Man City to play (I'm not suggesting he's as good as either of those). Halliday played inside, almost midfield, which allowed us to retain possession very easily -- and it also allowed Middleton to isolate his Full-back. When Barasic came on he played like a traditional Full-back, which clogged up that lane.

Anyone who is expecting Celtc FC to face any repercussions for the cover up of child abuse had better be prepared for disappointment. It won't happen. As far as the 'Celtc minded' are concerned, the reputation of their club comes before justice for people who were sexually abused. As unbelievable and disgusting as that is, that's the way their pea brains work. And the Scottish authorities will be happy to go along with their wishes.