Glasgow Rangers made it 13 goals in two SFA Cup games in the 2025/26 campaign with a stunning 8-0 win over Championship side Queen’s Park at Ibrox on Sunday.
The second tier team famously knocked the Light Blues out of the competition at Ibrox in the 2024/25 season, and Philippe Clement was dismissed from his role not long after that result.
This time around, Danny Rohl‘s side ensured that they did not make the same mistake, as they put on a ruthless and clinical display in front of their own supporters.
January signings Ryan Naderi and Tochi Chukwuani both scored their first two goals for the club, each scoring a brace, whilst captain James Tavernier also scored two, and Bojan Miovski hit the back of the net for the tenth time this season.
It was a morale-boosting performance and win for the Gers ahead of two huge games in the Scottish Premiership title race, with Mothwerwell and Hearts to come in the next seven days.
The surprise decision Rohl made against Queen’s Park
The nature of the game, performance, and scoreline meant that Rohl had the opportunity to experiment and try new things with his players throughout the afternoon.
One of the surprising decisions that the German tactician made was to play Oliver Antman at right-back for the second half, after Dujon Sterling was withdrawn for Nedim Bajrami at the break.
Antman has never started a game at right-back in his senior club career to date, usually playing on the right or the left flank, but he was given a chance to impress in the second half, and took that opportunity.
When the left-footed Andreas Skov Olsen moved infield, the former Go Ahead Eagles star was able to exploit the space out wide to put crosses into the box, as he did for Naderi’s second goal.
The Finland international proved that he is capable of playing in that position, as he also made a few combative tackles, and it is something that Rohl could try in league games moving forward to provide the team with yet another avenue to attack.
The Rangers flop who should never start again
Rangers, of course, added a full-back to their squad during the January transfer window with the £3m deal for Tuur Rommens, who produced an assist for Antman on his debut against Kilmarnock.
That means that Rohl now has two natural left-back options, in Jayden Meghoma and Rommens, and Max Aarons is no longer required to play games at left-back, as he was early on in the campaign.
The Bournemouth loanee, who played zero minutes on Sunday, may also not be needed to start any games at right-back because of Antman’s surprising ability to play in that position, with James Tavernier and Sterling also providing genuine options for that role.
This means that Aarons, who did not make the matchday squad against Queen’s Park, must not start another game between now and the end of the season, because Tavernier, Sterling, and now Antman, should be ahead of him in the pecking order.
Unfortunately, the former Norwich full-back, signed by his former teammate Russell Martin, has not offered enough in possession in the Scottish Premiership when called upon this season.
Aarons is tidy on the ball and will not make many mistakes, with zero errors that have led to shots or goals in the league, but he does not provide much of a threat at the top end of the pitch.
|
25/26 Premiership |
Max Aarons |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
17 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.4 |
|
Big chances created |
1 |
|
xA |
0.90 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
0.6 |
The English defender is yet to register a single assist for the Scottish giants in any competition this season, and has only created one ‘big chance’ in the Premiership, despite starting eight of his 17 appearances.
Antman recorded more assists (one) in one half as a right-back than Aarons has managed in 31 appearances in all competitions for Rangers in the 2025/26 campaign.
Rangers need goals to win the Premiership title and Antman, who has recorded two assists in his last two games, may be a more effective starter at right-back than the English flop because of his creative quality.
The Finnish star, who assisted 17 goals for Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign, is not a natural defender, but the Gers may not need that when they are trying to break down a low block that is designed just to stop them from scoring.
Therefore, Aarons should not start another game this season for Rangers before the end of his loan because Rohl now has enough options in both full-back positions not to need him.
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