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It has been an frustrating six months for Rangers fans. At the start of June, a poor season 2022/23 had just ended. With Gio sacked this time last year and, despite some decent performances under his replacement Michael Beale, no trophies were won and another league title was lost to Celtic. Nevertheless, there was still some optimism at that point. Dead rubber or not, a comfortable 3-0 win at Ibrox in the final Old Firm match of the campaign offered some confidence that Beale had got to grips with these games with no previous derby wins prior to that. Further, his new diamond formation looked the part, being defensively sound but with an improved threat in attack. Could the summer transfer window allow him to bring in better players and enhance the options available to him? Fast forward to the start of pre-season and the squad was much changed in good time for 2023/24. Previous key, but also undeniably under-performing, players in Morelos, Kent and Kamara were (or were about to be) moved on. Meanwhile, a variety of others were brought in and, on the face of it, the acquisitions looked suitable: Butland, Lammers, Dowell, Sima and Sterling arrived quickly and, by the time the season kicked off in August, Dessers Danilo, Cifuentes had also been added. The best part of £15m had been spent and, despite some reservations about a lack of wide options, most fans were happy with the majority of our business. Unfortunately, things quickly went wrong for Beale. An opening day league defeat to Kilmarnock showed a new team struggling to gel and despite a reasonable rest of the month, it culminated with a 5-1 humbling to PSV knocking us out the Champions League before what many fans felt was an unacceptable loss at home to Celtic in our first match of September. Already we were falling behind in the league and performances were hardly attractive. Another partial recovery followed with home wins against Real Betis, Motherwell and Livingston in three different competitions but a dreadful defeat to Aberdeen at Ibrox resulted in the departure of Beale less than a year after his appointment. The Rangers board moved quickly to replace him after the caretaker coaching team led us to an unexpected Europa League loss in Cyprus. Belgian Philippe Clement came in and both results and performances immediately improved. Although supporters still had their doubts about various players – old and new alike – six wins in an undefeated spell before the November international break showed an obvious improvement. The new manager quickly identified our lack of width as an issue and also offered a slightly more conservative look to the team: not defensive per se but the full backs weren’t as high and we were prepared to go more direct when required. The feel-good factor was back amongst the support as Scotland also secured qualification to Euro 2024 with no club football. The next challenge for the new manager was a clear one. Post international break we had 12 games in just over a month to navigate. These included tricky trips to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Parkhead but also the opportunity to win the League Cup in mid-December and close the gap to a Celtic team that were just starting to look somewhat unconvincing themselves. For his part, Clement was confident: players were arriving back from injury and he had the best part of a fortnight on the training ground to implement more of his own ideas since taking the job. There was also talk of a new Sporting Director to finally replace Ross Wilson who’d left earlier in the year. At the time of writing though, our start to this vital block of games couldn’t have gone much worse with just two draws against Aberdeen and Aris Limassol respectively and both from going behind to extremely cheap goals. Now, at this point we could talk about the positives in that we fought back to avoid defeat. That’s fair enough and I do believe most of the players worked hard enough in these games to deserve not dropping points. However, the obvious issues in both games can’t be ignored. And, first and foremost, the manager has to take his fair share of the blame. For the Aberdeen game the team selection was largely fine and I don’t think may fans took issue with the starting line-up. Injuries to Raskin and Jack meant a start for Cifuentes whilst getting both Lawrence and Cantwell into the same team could surely only increase our creative and goal threat? Furthermore, Clement spoke pre-match about the threat Aberdeen carried on the counter and from set-pieces; surely that message was a clear one to the players. Not so it seemed as Aberdeen took an early lead from a the simplest of moves; just a few minutes after a similar attack had given us a clear warning. After that, to their credit, the team did recover to a degree. We dominated possession and should have equalised well before a late penalty secured a point. Indeed, we should have won the game as Sam Lammers headed straight at the Dons keeper in injury time. Two dropped points it was though and, after Celtic had only drawn at home the previous day, that really was difficult to swallow for Rangers fans. Doubts were forming again about the mental capacity of this Rangers side. Onto Thursday night and the team had an immediate opportunity to restore credibility. On paper we had our easiest game in our Europa League group: even if Aris Limassol had beaten us in October, Beale had just left, the team was in disarray and surely lightening wouldn’t strike twice? Importantly, this time we knew more about their twin threat of pace on the transition and the ability to be clinical with chances created. They were also less than impressive in a defensive sense and could be exploited from wider areas. Despite necessary changes in central defence, surely this time we’d guard against the quick counter and avoid conceding the kind of avoidable goals we seen in Cyprus? Yet again we were let down. Todd Cantwell, ignoring instruction from the manager, skipped inside and lost the ball cheaply. One long ball later our sleeping defenders were exposed once more and behind we went. Cantwell was taken off soon after and the jeers were loud as the half-time whistle went. Fortunately, unlike Pittodrie, we equalised effectively from kick off for the second period but huffed and puffed after that. In fact, for the rest of the game our failings couldn’t be more obvious. From being unable to do the most basic of stuff: players couldn’t control the ball, simple short passes went uncompleted, decision-making was inexplicable and various players abdicated their responsibilities time after time amidst a general unacceptable lack of quality and belief. Even our substitutes couldn’t provide improvement and we timidly surrendered the opportunity to qualify for the next stage of that competition. Post-match things didn’t improve. The manager admitted taking off Cantwell (one of last season’s few shining lights) was a tactical issue and not down to injury (see the continued huge strapping the player wears during training and games). Clement discussed how he felt the player wasn’t following instruction: fair enough, Cantwell was playing badly and culpable at the opening goal. In that case, why play him there in the first place and why were other under-performing players excused? The Belgian then went on to discuss being happy about qualifying for the Conference League. Again, on its own, securing European football after Christmas is usually a positive but, in the context of last night, it felt ill-considered and glib. All things considered it has been a bad week so far for Philippe Clement but not a period he can’t recover from. However, he has to demonstrate he has learned from a difficult five days. For example, he has previously spoken about taking the fans with him during games and he was absolutely right to say so. A packed Ibrox isn’t an easy place for any team to visit and a loud, clear backing from the stands does provide a tangible benefit to our play. That was missing last night and, as much as the players must take ownership for their own bad performances, so too must the manager. Selecting Sam Lammers instead of Ross MacAusaland, Tom Lawrence or even Rabbi Matondo was a strange choice when the Dutchman has perhaps been the best (worst?) example of what transpired to be a poor summer transfer window. To then persevere with him whilst scapegoating Cantwell to a small degree confused almost every Rangers fan last night. The former Norwich man has undoubtedly struggled this season and was again poor last night – as well as selfish – but I’m still puzzled as to why he was taken off whilst the likes of Lammers and Cifuentes made it into the second half. The latter’s selection was perhaps forced but, not for the first time, his lazy style and lack of any key input to games shows a player disinterested in improvement or adapting to his new club. Worse than that though we have other existing players struggling with their contribution. Ben Davies was again poor at centre-half, James Tavernier had an awful game at right back whilst Tom Lawrence still looks less than fully fit and sharp after 15months out. Elsewhere in the side, new father Abdallah Sima has gone off the boil again on the left wing, Danilo struggles to influence games in attack and we still have a variety of players failing to contribute. Be it via injury (Roofe, Jack and Dowell are constantly injured) or just not being involved often enough (Yilmaz, King and Sterling were supposed to be the future), we have a large squad of 28 players with very few actually performing to acceptable levels. The manager simply must change that and I think the last few days has shown again change is necessary on the park. To that end, Philippe Clement will know all this. He will also know there’s not much he can do until first January’s window but more probably until the summer. He will also be aware that without moving on players his budget may not be to the level required to facilitate the kind of wholesale improvement we need. However, that need not mean he can’t continue to deliver improvement. After all, not all has been lost in the last two games. We’re still well in the title race and more than capable of getting a positive result in Seville. We can also win our first trophy of the campaign in a fortnight’s time at Hampden so there’s much to look forward to and I think that can be lost after bad results. Even so, it can be argued we are back to square one with much of the goodwill the new manager has built up lost this week. To hear the team booed off last night was really disappointing but this was an understandable manifestation of our frustration with a poor start to a vital winter period. I’d like to think the manager will have noted that supporter reaction and be discussing it with his players as you read this. Sunday afternoon is an immediate opportunity to right a few wrongs and it will be fascinating to see how Clement reacts. I doubt we’ll see wholesale changes to the starting XI but will he recognise and fix the kind of flaws that seen Gio and Beale flounder in an increasingly negative tactical mindset or will he relish solving the same problems that affect this team over two years since we last won the title? The pressure is already on…

The fans booing and groaning at every little thing is becoming a problem. For example, last night they started to moan when Cifuentes passed the ball back to the 'keeper. Did they not realise that there was (a) no pass on, and (b) three defenders around him so if he gave it away it would probably be a 4-on-1 attack? It was the correct pass.

He should have taken Lammers off and moved Cantwell to 10. Playing Lammers is like playing with 10 men.

Another great TIFO from Broomie Collective and UBs

He took Cantwell off for not obeying his instructions. We can't have players on the park who ignore what they're being told by the manager. I do agree with the general point that I'd prefer Cantwell playing in the 10 position rather than Lammers.

Barisic gets the same. Some fans seem to think he should try a forward pass even when nobody is available.

It's a major problem - the atmosphere last night for a must win Europa League game was toxic.

Dessers, Yilmaz and Dowell Source H&H

There are definite improvements, but he can only work with the tools he has.

And an even more obvious one, closer to home, is Hagi. Doesn't matter whether someone thinks Hagi is good enough or not, he is still ten times the player Lammers is.

He is Dutch, good he must know a club anxiously looking for a Sam Lammers type player.

regardless of whether he's appointed in the next couple of weeks, or half way through January, I think its not enough time to have any meaningful impact on this coming transfer window

Okay, maybe very unpleasant better sums it up. The reaction to any misplaced pass, or backwards pass, missed / lost tackle etc being met with howls of disapproval and the booing at half / full time told its own story. However, the most unpleasant aspect was the reaction to the substitutions. I thought the atmosphere was very flat at the start a d got worse as the game went on (5mins after our goal apart).

There's a difference between playing (really) badly and not doing what you're told. Lammers was playing in the area that he was told. The manager wanted Cantwell to play wide right to stretch them and was told that several times and he kept moving inside or coming short

What I see with Cantwell is someone who is busting a gut. My feeling is he is trying too hard to compensate for the lack of quality in the rest of the team. It's not working for him just now, but I've seen enough of Cantwell now to know he has the ability and we need to use it properly. Lammers has shown nothing, nothing! He is an awful player that needs to be chucked at the earliest opportunity. The problem with taking on these project players is that if they are on their last chance and it doesn't work out then we can't get rid of them. In my opinion this is the end of the line for Lammers, he's useless. He's actually worse than useless, he's taking up a good wage and a spot in the squad that could go to someone who can actually play football. I am gobsmacked Lammers was kept on the field so long and Cantwell was binned in the first half. If the excuse was that Cantwell wasn't doing what he was asked to, then what fucking excuse does Lammers have?

Which position does Lammers play? Not sure.

I was hoping Lammers would be one of them.

If it's from Ibrox Noise, there's a strong chance it's totally made up.

Less than 2 years ago we destroyed Dortmund in Germany! But I get what you are saying, however we should be beating them at Ibrox. 1 point out of 6 against them isn't great.

The time to judge Clement will be after the transfer window. For all we know he wants to offload the same players we do. He must be doing something right as he is still unbeaten.

The main thing that concerns me is I hoped the international break would give Clement time to sort a few things out and we'd see improvements but we've looked more disjointed and dispirited than we did beforehand. There's something definitely not right within that playing squad.

Gladys Knight = shite.

He arrived a few weeks ago and can only work with what he's got.

Dessers is less dreadful than Lammers.

Putting loads of kids into the first team at the moment is something a nutcase might do.

I'd say it has been a decent start. Not great but not 'very poor' either. Considering the injuries we've had, I'm not sure who you'd be replacing all these 'duds' with?

The lack of pre-match music seemed to put a dampener of the atmosphere. We had the Butland song and that was about it. I know some say that we shouldn't have music and let the fans build up their own atmosphere and that may work on the odd occasion, but play it by ear. Last night, we needed pre-match tunes to build up the atmosphere and it just didn't happen and the crowd was fairly flat throughout.

If we are going to appoint a director of football then I hope they ask the manager for his recommendation after all they have to work together

Around about destroying Dortmund in Germany we shat the bed at Dingwall and threw away 2 points and couldn't beat a woeful Dundee united at Tannadice. There is a distinct lack of being able to win when the pressure is on mentality about this squad and its been that way for some time.

I thought Raskin was looking a bit better under Clement. Not sure how long he's out for - hopefully not too long. Jack should've been told 'it's Rangers or Scotland' in the Summer.

We have Lundstram who's passing is about as consistent as a curry lover's bowel movements. The rest are either injured half the time or even less reliable.

I doubt anyone will be able to add anything to that. I hope Clement reads it. Look at the video of the players entering Ibrox last night. That didn’t look like a Rangers team. Last in was the captain looking terrified. A Rangers captain should look like this:

Great Post Frankie and hard to argue / disagree with any of it. Do you know if we are any closer to appointing a DoF? Appears we are sleepwalking into another (crucial) transfer window with no DoF (hopefully I'm wrong and things are happening behind the scenes).

We have regressed badly since then.

My Norwich supporting mate seemed to rate him higher than Cantwell, but said he had trouble keeping fit.

Did I? hahah I've had a right lammers there.

The other thing that surprised me is that Sima looked dead on his feet for much of the game

Oh, I see! I thought you meant he was taking up a spot in the match-day squad that could be filled by one of our players that isn't.

What's Vinnie Jones up to?

Lundstrum, was doing the job of all 3 midfielders at times

Who's Gladys mate? (Serious question)

McCausland took his goal well but also gave the ball away a few times.

Cantwell has shown quality but we can't ignore the fact that he is miles off where he can be. Be continually lost possession last night and on one occasion it led to their goal (it should have been defended better. Thats nothing to do with what position he is playing. Also his reaction to being substituted wasn't the best. Last night, and that's what we are discussing, nobody apart from Lundstram showed up in the 1st half. Has Cantwell shown more in his short Rangers career than Lammers? Off course he has, but he hasn't shown much recently.

It's a bit like giving a good guitarist a guitar that goes out of tune a lot. He can play nice stuff but it will still invariably go out of tune. Our squad is choc full of dross no manager could keep in tune. Starting with Lammers is like getting on stage after four pints though - very silly.

This is the managers making, he must know we are all sick to the back teeth of Lammers and the guy has shown the square root of 0. So he decides to play him and move Cantwell out wide and it results in Cantwell struggling.

He's putting square pegs in round holes and putting the pegs in the firing line. He can only get away with it for so long.

Was it possible? I mean, yes if we scored, but I don't recall us really testing the keeper. We continually tripped ourselves up before being able to get a shot away. Conference league here we come. May be for the best. We're just a shocking random bunch of players. I don't think they bottled it tonight, I just don't think they're capable.

Why the booing? I don't get our fans sometimes. People leaving before the final whistle when instant qualification was possible.