By David Herd
Five was the number in my mind when thinking about this afternoon’s Ibrox clash between Rangers and Hibs. Rangers were trying to avoid a record-extending run of home defeats to five, after recent home losses to Queen’s Park, St Mirren, Motherwell and Fenerbahce. And interim manager Barry Ferguson was looking for his fifth victory in his seventh match in charge of his boyhood club. Even the pre-match press conference had that number at the forefront, as the player put forward was John Souttar, the man who wears number five.
After recent defensive displays that have featured the team leaking goals at an alarming rate, but scoring even more, many pre-match predictions were going for scorelines featuring five goals, or even more. Hibs were unbeaten in 15 league games going back to early December, a run that has seen them rise from rock bottom to third spot. Manager David Gray picked up the Manager of the Month award in midweek, and they brought a big travelling support for a match they obviously fancied. If that defeat number five was to be avoided, Rangers would need to be on their game.
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Much of the discussion around Ferguson’s team selection centred on whether he would have an eye on the huge European tie in five days (there’s that number again). Souttar is suspended from that game, as is Mo Diomande, and that fact led many to think that Ferguson would wrap key defender Leon Balogun and influential midfielder Nico Raskin in cotton wool, especially as Europe is the only route to success left this season. In the end, there were just the two players in his selection who hadn’t started last week. No change was made in goal, Jack Butland starting his 100th competitive match for Rangers, no doubt hoping for a 40th clean sheet and no more costly mistakes.
Another recent five was no more, with the recently utilised back five becoming a four. Balogun predictably was kept in reserve, with Souttar’s central partner being Dujon Sterling. This change allowed an extra attacking player to start, and that shirt was given to Mr Watergun himself, Vaclav Cerny returning from injury. The other change was a straight swap at left back, Brazilian Jefte taking his usual slot back after a recent personal absence, with Ridvan Yilmaz dropping to the bench.
Meanwhile, David Gray named the same starting eleven as had defeated St Johnstone easily at Easter Road last weekend. With his team now already guaranteed top six and looking favourites to finish the “best of the rest”, a win at Ibrox would top off an amazing few months for the rookie manager.
As soon as referee Don Robertson started proceedings, it was clear that Rangers had opted for a 4-3-3 formation, with Connor Barron sitting deepest of the midfield three. Cerny on the right and Igamane on the left were the wide men up front either side of last week’s last-gasp hero Cyriel Dessers. And Rangers settled first, dominating both possession and territory in the opening exchanges, but as soon as Hibs ventured upfield a very familiar Rangers failing reared its ugly head. The ball broke to midfielder Dylan Levitt 20 yards out and the midfielder hit a well-struck shot that looked straight at Jack Butland and a routine save. The ball somehow went straight through the goalkeeper into the net to give the visitors their ideal start. It was Butland’s 100th goal conceded in his 100th start for Rangers, and far too many of them in the last 12 months have been howlers like this one.
A familiar Ibrox feeling descended on the stadium, when would we see Rangers open the scoring again at their home? The remainder of the opening period became a tale of Dessers misses. After 13 minutes some good interplay by Cerny and Igamane gave the big Nigerian a clear sight of goal, but he wanted too many touches and the chance was gone. In 27 minutes, it was Cerny and Tavernier’s link up that put the Number Nine clear through, but the Dessers shot was well saved by goalkeeper Jordan Smith. Just two minutes later, Igamane split the Hibs defence with a pinpoint through ball, but the Nigerian international hit his shot high and over. And there still time for one more Dessers horror show, blazing over again six minutes before the interval after Barron and Cerny had broken quickly from one end to the other.
The first half ended with Hibs in front thanks to their only real goal attempts. And Rangers behind yet again because of a goalkeeper who can’t keep the ball out, and a striker who too often can’t find the net. A familiar tale, and only 45 minutes to avoid that horrendous fifth straight home loss. Barry Ferguson had recently shown he was willing to make changes and make them early. But this time he opted for the same eleven. But more of the same was not an option. We didn’t get the same, we got worse.
The second half was a disjointed mess, with Rangers growing more desperate, more ragged, and more vulnerable. The Hibs goalkeeper had little other than hopeful long through balls and a few cross balls to deal with, and the visitors realised the game was there for the taking. The took it. Rangers survived a VAR check for a handball by Tavernier just after the hour, with Rangers now having Bajrami on to preserve Cerny’s fitness for Bilbao. The substitute was unluck to see a thumping shot from 18 yards hit the crossbar, in what was the last serious Rangers attempt on goal. But it always felt that Hibs could score again, and in 68 minutes Martin Boyle was sent clean through by a hopeful long ball. He confidently tucked it away only for the linesman to flag for offside. But this time VAR would give Hibs the decision, the striker being was onside and Rangers were 2-0 down for the fifth time in seven matches under Ferguson. Yet another unwanted five.
From then on, it was just a case of Hibs seeing out time. Their fans partied, while their players comfortably repelled the weak attempts by Rangers to do anything about it. There was a bizarre incident when Jefte was fouled but the referee allowed Hibs to go through on goal. After they missed the chance, Mr Robertson then signalled for the Rangers free kick. I had never seen an official use the Disadvantage Rule before! But nobody could point the finger at officials today, this was all down to the mediocrity of the players wearing blue.
Danilo, Hagi and young Curtis all came on, but nothing was changing the way the tide was flowing. The official attendance was 50,922, there were less than 10,000 home fans inside Ibrox to vent their displeasure at the end. So, the scandalous statistic of five successive home defeats was not avoided. Bilbao on Thursday must be hot favourites to inflict a sixth, and on this display few would give Rangers much of a chance. It was a depressing day, the latest in a series of them. Whoever the manager is next season, the spine of this team needs serious attention. Goalkeeper, central defence, creativity in midfield and a reliable goalscorer are all needed. This Rangers team has none of them.
In a brutal press conference after the match, a furious Barry Ferguson stated simply “this is not a Rangers team”. He hinted strongly that he has lost patience with most of the underperforming players in the side, and that his approach will be more pragmatic and less expansive from now on. He also raged that he will be making plenty of changes on Thursday, and that he did not rule out those changes including the goalkeeper.
It won’t be eleven changes for Bilbao. After today, maybe there will be five of them.
