IT is a different problem that Michael Beale has now. Yet it is a more welcome one and a situation that he would much rather be in than not.
There have been times during his tenure when he has barely had enough players to contest. The competition is now genuine. Some places still pick themselves, but the deliberations over who leads the line require consideration given that only one jersey is up for grabs.
Those that were in possession of the shirts against Kilmarnock on Saturday rightly retained them for the win over Hibernian on Wednesday evening. The first half at Ibrox was a teaser that Rangers were getting towards a higher level and those that took them there with three first half goals would go one better as four were scored at Easter Road.
It was the most complete, most accomplished, performance of Beale's tenure. The margin of the 4-1 result flattered Lee Johnson's side rather than Beale's and the assertion that Rangers could have scored eight goals on the night was not bombast from the Light Blues boss.
That profligacy in front of goal will have frustrated Beale but the manner in which James Tavernier dispatched his penalty and Fashion Sakala rounded off the scoring were positives. The two fine finishes from Antonio Colak left his manager delighted in professional and personal perspectives.
A trip to Easter Road seemed custom-made for Alfredo Morelos. It is the kind of occasion he so often revels in, the sort of challenge that he has risen to time after time in his Rangers career.
Yet the call to stick with Colak paid off for Beale. He had spoken enthusiastically about the Croatian in the aftermath of the win against Killie and the message felt like a shot across the bows of Morelos as much as well-earned praise for the man on the receiving end of the warm words.
If Beale could choose between both players at the peak of their respective powers, then Morelos would surely get the nod nine times out of ten. He can offer much more to that role than Colak, but questions over his form and fitness have now been joined by those about his future and he is no longer the talisman of this team.
Morelos was, as Beale put it, 'not happy' at being left out against Hibernian but Colak had earned his chance and deserved his shot. As he has done so often this term, he repaid the faith that was shown in him and he now has 17 goals in 34 appearances compared to the ten from 36 that his forward partner has accumulated.
It was a night where Colak showed he is not just a penalty box poacher. He earned praise for the way he pressed from the front and the movement and link-up play that saw him combine so effectively with partner Sakala and Ryan Kent.
The 29-year-old is a likeable character off the park and Beale believes his personality is now coming out in the group. So has his quality and the spot that he earned against Kilmarnock and retained against Hibernian should now be his once again for the Scottish Cup tie with Raith Rovers this weekend.
Colak had highlighted the chaos factor of fixtures such as this during an interview earlier this week. After the game, he pinpointed the speed at which Rangers played as key contributing factors to the victory, but his own role cannot be overlooked.
“We created a lot of chances and it was a deserved 4-1 win," Colak said. "Perhaps the only regret was there weren’t more goals for us on the night.
“I have to say the relationships we had on the pitch were amazing, the intensity with which we played was amazing.
“It was not only for a short period of time, it was for the whole game and this is what we need to stick with moving forward.
“We have two more big games ahead of us. It was an amazing game for us.”
The quarter-final with Raith and away fixture at Motherwell offer Rangers the prospect of continued momentum in the Premiership and another step towards a shot at the silverware that will go some way to shaping opinions on this season. The bar was raised at Easter Road and now it must be maintained.
The moments to savour for Colak were the second and fourth goals of the evening. His instinctive movement was followed by a deft finish to give Rangers the lead at the break, while an opportunistic strike from 12 yards added a shine to the scoreline that was more than merited.
This was no rough and tumble, smash and grab win where physical attrition was more valuable than technical excellence. It was calm, controlled and composed from Rangers as their football did the talking in the capital.
“We made things like that because of our dominance on the pitch," Colak said. “We had control of the game with our power.
“It doesn’t matter how many miles we have to run or at what speed, you saw our hunger to regain the ball and worked hard.
“We tried to be dominant and make sure we didn’t give them any chances to come near our goal.
“In the final third the combinations we had were really amazing and now I think we know what we have to show on the pitch to ensure a successful game.
"We have to stick with this. It has to be the standard.
“Hearts and Hibs are only examples, every game is a different game. We go again now in the cup and we will play at home, it will be a different game for sure.
“We want to win every game and we know what we have to do on the pitch. If we are at our standards then I believe we will do that.
“This is the thing with our fans behind us, we can create big dominance in the future.”
The next fixture arrives this Sunday. A return to Hampden is the prize if Rangers can overcome Championship opposition for the second successive round and everyone at Ibrox is well aware of the significance of the Scottish Cup this term.
Colak already has medals in his collection. He won back-to-back Croatian Cups with Rijeka in his homeland before lifting the Allsvenskan title with Malmo the following season and that winning feeling continues to motivate him.
“This is what every player dreams of and this is what I want, also," Colak said as he expressed his desire for further success and his confidence that Rangers can retain their Scottish Cup. “I am here not only to score goals but I want to win trophies too.
“This is what I want to achieve with the team. It would be a big achievement for all of us.
“I have been in the trophy room. I was there at the beginning when I joined the club so I know about the history and what is there.
“I have also seen plenty of YouTube videos of what the feeling is like for the players when they win trophies at this club. This is what I want too.”
