SPL: 5 Reasons Why the Rangers Have the League Won

It's been a make-or-break month for Rangers manager Ally McCoist.

After crashing out of Europe at the hands of Maribor, rookie boss McCoist has had a lot of pressure riding on him to deliver domestically.

Despite losing to Falkirk in the League Cup on Wednesday, McCoist recorded that all-important maiden win over archrivals Celtic last weekend, and his side looks to have hit its top gear in recent weeks.

So, with all that considered, let's look at the five main reasons why the Rangers already have the league in the bag.

The Central Defensive Pairing of Goian and Bocanegra

The Romanian rock and the American team captain have formed a formidable defensive partnership in recent weeks.

Although both players have only been with the Rangers for a matter of weeks, Dorin Goian and Carlos Bocanegra have already established a firm understanding—one that was clear to see in recent victories over Celtic and Dunfermline.

With only three goals conceded in eight games, these two central defenders will be at the core of any Rangers success this season.

The Form of Steven Naismith

Many of the Rangers' fine performances in recent games have stemmed from this man.

Naismith opened and closed the scoring in last week's Old Firm match, while also scoring a double against Dunfermline on Saturday.

The Scottish international has been getting better and better, and it might not be long before a club from down south comes calling for him.

The Recent Old Firm Victory

The Rangers' 4-2 win over the Bhoys last Sunday was as convincing a victory as Ally McCoist has enjoyed in his short time at the club.

The Gers dominated the second half and should have won the game by more than two goals, but, as a result, the Rangers now lead their rivals by four points.

Having already established a strong advantage with eight games played, things can only get better. 

Nikica Jelavic's Goals

Jelavic was the subject of a reported £9m bid on deadline day, but ultimately decided to stay in Scotland for the time being.

The highly coveted Croatian marksman has continued his sparkling form from last season and will continue to be key to any success the Rangers enjoy this term—if he can stay injury-free.

Ally McCoist will also have to convince the big forward not to leave the club for new pastures come January.

Celtic's Woes

Celtic's leaky defence has been compared to the hull of the Titanic over the past few weeks, and this was rather apparent last Sunday as Neil Lennon's men shipped four goals at Ibrox.

With Daniel Majstorovic and Fraser Forster clearly suffering from communication problems, as well as Kelvin Wilson and Emilio Izaguirre out for the foreseeable future, Lennon has a job on his hands in figuring out how to plug his defensive hole.

However, all across Glasgow, fans of the Gers are hoping this continues for some time.

Conclusion

Things are looking rosy for the blue half of Glasgow.

With two convincing league victories in two weeks, Rangers' European exits at the hands of minnows Malmo and Maribor is already a distant memory.

What remains to be seen is whether Ally McCoist and his team can keep this sparkling run of form going.