Rangers reaction: Very distasteful Aberdeen banner, unfortunate John Lundstram name faux-pas, levels within levels

The ease with which under-pressure Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Rangers side swept aside a supposedly ready for them Aberdeen wasn’t the only talking point from the 4-1 encounter.

Malik Tillman goes close with one of the host of chances with which Rangers easily could have racked up a 7-1 scoreline against Aberdeen - the scoreline they were on the receiving end of against Liverpool at Ibrox only two-and-a-half weeks ago. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Ibrox side Liverpool-like for Goodwin’s men

There was fizz and fire in the Rangers’ players performance in their 4-1 Aberdeen pummelling. The flames threatening to lick Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s ears were doused with it. Also a universal truth was reinforced. The other Scottish sides may be capable of bringing Glasgow’s big two down a peg or two on the odd day - as Livingston did at Ibrox by coming within a 95th minute equaliser of victory last week - but they would need to bring them down several dozen pegs regularly to threaten their top flight hegemony.

The going-over Rangers gave a visiting side hyped-up, not least by their own manager Jim Goodwin, as potential slayers of a shaky Ibrox team, should have produced the 7-1 scoreline that van Bronckhorst’s side suffered against Liverpool on the same ground a couple of weeks ago. What the Anfield team are to Rangers, even a struggling Ibrox side can be to the Pittodrie men. Although experiencing a relatively lean spell, Rangers have now beaten this season’s current third placed cinch Premiership team 4-1 at home and the third best from last season – Hearts – 4-0 away from home. Aberdeen haven’t beaten Rangers in their past 12 meetings. Van Bronckhorst hasn’t lost to anyone but Celtic in the league across 11 months at the helm, and his toiling team are on a run of five wins and a draw from their past six league games. And then there is the fact that among Celtic’s derby successes over the Dutchman in that time there have been two absolute filletings … with a 4-0 only two months ago. In Scottish football there would appear levels within levels within levels.

Away supporters distasteful ‘kill’ banner

Aberdeen fans can go as low as any more regularly condemned counterparts within these borders. Their hatred for all things Rangers is legendary, and comes with the territory in a tribal sport, but the ‘kill all huns’ display sighted in the away end before kick-off was spectacularly distasteful. Even if the rush to chuck the word ‘hun’ into the sectarian soup is debatable. It has had no historical religious connotations for the many clubs that deploy it to have a go at Rangers fans.

It is certainly a deeply unpleasant term. Othering any groups in society stokes prejudice and isn’t to be welcomed. But the one court judgement that brought a religiously aggravated breach of the peace over the wearing of a t-shirt with the word on it has never been the subject of judicial review. No such examination is required over an exhortation to ‘kill’ people, though. It is truly horrible.

Unfortunate Lundstram name-calling

Rangers midfield dynamo John Lundstram was a notable catalyst for his team’s 4-1 zapping of Aberdeen. His goal proved his third in his past three cinch Premiership games. He was one of the names firmly on the lips of all at the close of proceedings, then. Unfortunately the name of the player, now 16 months with the club, didn’t make its way on to the printed team-sheet. Instead of John Lundstram, he was referred to as ‘Lundstrum’. We have all been there. Admittedly, mostly this time last year …