Boos rang out around Ibrox as Rangers ambled to the League Cup semi-finals over Dundee, with manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst desperately looking towards that World Cup break.
Rangers have been remarkably unconvincing as of late and there are serious fears within the Ibrox support regarding how we’re playing and where we’re going under the Dutchman.
Despite this, Rangers did pick up another domestic win against Dundee and have booked a date at Hampden against Aberdeen as a result, but the level of performance remains a concern.
Rangers won the match 1-0 courtesy of Steven Davis’ rebounded goal with a much-changed team squandering a series of first-half chances and failing to put the game out of sight.
The second-half was enough to send half of Ibrox to sleep as Rangers’ turgid and uninspired performances were summed up by half an hour of genuinely boring and conservative football.
Rangers fans are too-often watching this team with their hands stretched over their mouths as not only the contagious yawns spread through the crowd but so does the discontent.
The support is not satisfied with how Rangers are playing at present and whilst the results are coming in, the woeful performances are not inspiring us to believe we can go the distance in the Premiership.
Whilst the criticism of the team’s style of play is undoubtedly merited, there are some who’d do well to remember some of the achievements under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst must Rangers to World Cup break in one piece
The Europa League Final is backed up by Champions League qualification, whilst the Scottish Cup victory will leave off a stay of execution.
But even the most ardent of the Gio Out crowd has to admit he has some cash in the bank – quite literally – with the Ibrox hierarchy.
Conversely, last season’s Premiership collapse is a massive black mark and there’s not a Rangers fan out there who believes Giovanni van Bronckhorst can survive the same again this season.
That’s why the World Cup break is looming so large for the Dutchman. Amid a devastating run of injuries and what looks like an increasingly poor summer of recruitment the Gers continue to toil.
But the land of milk and honey appears to be after the Middle Eastern tournament in Qatar with Rangers likely to welcome several key players back into the squad.
In defence, John Souttar and Filip Helander are due back whilst Connor Goldson may well be joining them. Ianis Hagi and Tom Lawrence offer quality creative options and will represent huge additions to the side.
There is also the January transfer window, where a fresh and quality attacking option out wide and an influential first-team midfielder must surely be sought.
These are the positives Rangers fans are clinging on to as they continue to doubt the squad’s capabilities at present and these next few weeks will be defining in our season.
The club must quite simply avoid yet more Champions League humiliation away to Napoli and at home to Ajax whilst the Gers cannot afford to fall further behind Celtic in the title race.
A domestic run of Livingston (H), Aberdeen (H), St Johnstone (A), Hearts (H) and St Mirren (A) is set to be defining for Rangers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst and if the club can get to the World Cup break in one piece, then there is some optimism they can complete the rest of the jigsaw when football returns.
Meanwhile, there are reportedly five clubs now tailing one Rangers talent who continues to impress in the first team.