Rangers face a defensive problem for tonight’s game at Ibrox. Majid Bougherra is suspended and both Sasa Papac and Steven Whittaker are rated highly doubtful.

Papac has a groin strain and may not be risked while Whittaker has a toe injury and according to Smith could not even put a boot on yesterday.

It is expected that Ricky Foster will take up one of the full back roles and we could also see Lee McCulloch dropping back or Andy Webster coming in to partner David Weir. Some of the Rangers sites also speculate that Smith may choose this game to drop in one of Rangers’ talented youngsters at full back, perhaps Darren Cole or Gregg Wylde. I guess we will see around 7:30PM when the teamsheets are sent out !

Steven Naismith is also rated doubtful, but if fit he may be preferred to Kenny Miller who like our own Adam Rooney may have other things on his mind. Terry Butcher maintains that Adam is focused on the job in hand but it must be hard for the youngster as he turns over his career options in his head for the next week or two.

For ICT, the most notable absentee will be Jonny Hayes. The midfielder started light training this week after his ankle injury but will not be ready to face Rangers. Morrison, Gillet, and McCann are also out.

Rangers (from): McGregor, Whittaker, Papac, Foster, Weir, Davis, Edu, McCulloch, Ness, Weiss, Wylde, Naismith, Lafferty, Miller, Beattie, Jelavic, Webster, Alexander, Fleck.

Inverness (from): Esson, Tokely, Munro, Cox, Proctor, Shinnie, Duff, Ross, Foran, Rooney, Odhiambo, Sutherland, Golabek, Tuffey, Duncan, Sanchez, Innes, Blumenshtein, Proctor.

Butcher is still raging at the SPL over the timing of this fixture. The SPL powers once again pandered to the Old Firm and gave ICT and its fans just seven days notice of a fixture originally scheduled for 29th January then moved into February due to Rangers CIS Cup semi-final appearance, being altered for a third time, this time to 11 days before its originally scheduled date.

It means the team and its fans will make the long trek down the A9 for the second time in four days ! However Butcher is hoping that the players can channel this sense of anger and injustice into a performance at Ibrox that sees at least one if not all three points head up the A9 at the end of the night.

Caley Thistle are unbeaten in their last three games against the Glasgow giants. A last minute Ian Black penalty gave us victory at Ibrox in March 2009 and earlier this season at Ibrox an 81st minute strike from Eric Odhiambo cancelled out an 11th minute goal from Maurice Edu.

The last game between the sides, at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium on 11th December also ended in a 1-1 draw and both goals scored that day are up for goal of the month.

We are probably biased, in fact we know we are, but Hayes goal will surely feature in goal of the Season choices too …. A Rangers attack broke down in our half and Hayes took the ball at the edge of the box, he then made a long run, supported by Duff and when about 35 yards out, dipped insider a defender and struck it sweetly with the outside of his left boot. The ball went like a rocket and swerved high into the top corner of the net giving McGregor no chance. Jonny’s dance after the goal however will definitely not win any awards !!! Miller’s equaliser was – in our opinion – not as good but he also struck his shot well. Steven Davis laid a ball to Miller about 20 yards from goal and he hit it low and hard past the diving Ryan Esson.

Rangers form going into this game is WDWLW which is far better than ICT’s DLLLD but maybe the sense of injustice over the timing, coupled with our amazing away record (19 of our 27 points have been achieved on the road  [last 5 WDDLD]) can carry us through ….

Scotty’s Prediction :

Given the last few scorelines between the teams I am going to go for an optimistic 1-1 draw.

Form says it should be an easy home win but Rangers have troubles at the back and if we can get in about the makeshift defence we can make life difficult for them, maybe rattle them and take something from this game.