Rangers FC needed a quick breather in their title hunt, and this international break provides just that.
Rangers FC are living their best life as a team one month into the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership campaign. Steven Gerrard’s men occupy first place in the table as a result of being undefeated so far this season, and the Light Blues have not conceded a single goal.
Rangers came into this season with enormous pressure on their shoulders to prevent Celtic from winning their tenth consecutive title, which would set a new record in Scottish football.
Despite having that pressure over their heads in each game, Rangers have handled the situation extremely well, and they seem focused on writing their own destiny rather than hoping for Celtic to slip up.
That being said, some of you might be of the opinion that the international break actually hurts Rangers because it halts their momentum in its tracks.
Sure, one can make that argument, but the pros of this international break outweigh the negatives. If it were not for this break, Rangers would have a congested schedule, and inconsistency would become an issue.
With this break in place, though, Rangers can look back at the fixtures in August and polish up their tactics before playing two domestic games and one Europa League qualifier in an eight day period between September 12th and the 20th.
Secondly, this break is not a vacation for Rangers. Gerrard still has his players training and getting ready for Dundee United, Lincoln Red Imps, and Hibernian.
For players who are not with the squad because they are representing their national teams in the UEFA Nations League, their situation is even better.
Players like Glen Kamara, Ianis Hagi, Steven Davis, and Ryan Jack are competing against some of Europe’s best teams and players with two games over a four or five day period.
Being exposed to this level of competition and maintaining good levels of fitness will only make them all the more effective when they return to Ibrox.
While it is frustrating for fans to wait two weeks to see Gers take the pitch, the wait will be worth it. This international break will only refresh and better prepare the team for upcoming games.