Outspoken BBC pundit claims only one Gers star has chance of getting in combined Aberdeen XI
Yesterday at 04:05 AM
As Rangers prepare to face off against St Mirren, eyes are already wandering towards Wednesday night's Scottish Premiership clash with Aberdeen.
Whilst the Gers will need to be at their best to overcome the Buddies at Ibrox, the Dons continue to march on under new manager Jimmy Thelin.
A late Peter Ambrose goal ensured Aberdeen continue their near-perfect start to the Scottish Premiership season with a 1-0 win over Dundee United.
That result puts the Dons three points clear at the top of the table and nine ahead of Rangers ahead of the visit of St Mirren this afternoon.
But – rather incredibly – as the hype builds around the Pittodrie side, one of BBC Scotland's leading contributors reckons no Rangers player gets into a combined Aberdeen XI.
Tom English: no Gers stars in combined Dons XI
A fawning Tom English has waxed lyrical about Aberdeen's start to the season and reckons no Rangers player gets in a combined XI with the Dons.
The outspoken pundit has turned the screw on Rangers' start to the season by claiming that Aberdeen are so far ahead of the Ibrox club that not one Gers player would get in their side.
In remarkable comments, English claims John Souttar is the only Rangers player who has a shout ahead of what promises to be an enthralling match in Aberdeen next week.
"There are not (many Rangers players getting into a combined Aberdeen XI)," English told the Scottish Football Podcast. "There's very few you could make a case for in a combined XI.
"I'm a big fan of (John) Souttar but the Aberdeen centre-halves (Slobodan Rubežić & Gavin Molloy) have been outstanding this season.
"To be honest, I'm not sure I can make any kind of a case for any other Rangers player, as mad as that seems.
"It's difficult because the Rangers team that lost to Kilmarnock, I'm not having any of them.
"But the Rangers team that won on Thursday night, I know they were up against moderate opposition, but that was a good performance.
"But if you combine everything, I think Rangers players are struggling to get into a combined XI (with Aberdeen)."
Rangers have everything to prove in Aberdeen
Whilst we'll take Tom English's claims with a pinch of salt, Rangers do have everything to prove as Aberdeen's bright start to the season continues.
The Dons have now won eight of their opening nine Premiership matches with the debate raging around Aberdeen's title credentials.
Old Firm rivals Celtic can go back on top of the division on goal difference if they can overcome Motherwell at Fir Park this afternoon.
Aberdeen's start has also heaped the pressure on Philippe Clement and Rangers, who blew their chance to cut the gap to three points against Kilmarnock last weekend.
A failure to defeat St Mirren will see the scrutiny intensify further but should Rangers come through that test, then a challenging trip to Aberdeen awaits on Wednesday evening.
Whilst Tom English and the rest of the BBC Scotland team can talk, it's up to Rangers to shut them up when they head to the northeast next week.
