If anything sums up Rangers’ season – or the Philippe Clement era as a whole at the Scottish Premiership giants – it is the events of the last three weeks.
A spell which begun with a valiant defeat and Hampden Park heartbreak against bitter rivals Celtic. Then came a nervy, unconvincing home win over Dundee, followed by points dropped away from home at St Mirren and Motherwell.
And, just as Clement’s team appeared to have turned a corner as Rangers swept Celtic aside 3-0 at Ibrox, they followed that up by being pegged back in a six-goal thriller at Hibernian.
Philippe Clement was desperate for Rangers to build on that Old Firm thrashing when they travelled to Edinburgh on Sunday. Instead, those old failings were exposed once again, Hibs jabbing their blade into the gaping chinks in the Gers’ armour.
A penalty and two set-piece concessions. Rangers now have conceded four times as many goals from dead-ball situations as leaders Celtic this term, and only the base of the post denied Hibernian a hat-trick of those in the Scottish capital.
Whether things would have been different with Jack Butland between the sticks is anyone’s guess. Liam Kelly staked his claim on his Old Firm debut but this was a far more difficult assignment for Rangers’ back-up goalkeeper, Hibs tossing in crosses and putting Kelly’s command of his penalty area under considerable strain.
Kris Boyd backs Liam Kelly as Rangers drop points at Hibernian
The former Motherwell keeper aimed his anger at Rangers’ defence following yet another winless away day. Kris Boyd feels that Kelly must accept some of the blame himself, however. Particularly as he was left stranded in no-man’s land when Rocky Bushiri headed in an 83rd minute equaliser from close range.
Whether Kelly starts a third Premiership game in a row – Rangers face Dundee on Thursday – may depend on whether Jack Butland is fit to return after a recent spell in hospital with an internal bleed in his leg.
Boyd feels that Rangers will be in relatively safe hands without the England international, though, even if Kelly will not look back on his trip to Easter Road with much fondness.
“I think, with Jack Butland, they are going to have to make that is 100 per cent correct [to bring him back into the team],” Boyd says. “I don’t think they are going to rush Jack Butland back.
“I thought Liam Kelly was excellent in the Celtic game. Listen, he didn’t cover himself in glory with Hibs’ third goal but that can happen. It’s life as a goalkeeper. You make a couple of saves and then one mistake, and everybody speaks about that.
“The Jack Butland one, I am interested to see if he is back this week or next week. But the one thing you need to make sure is [that the decision to re-call him is] spot on.”
Boyd worried about Rangers’ vulnerabilities ahead of Dundee trip
Clement confirmed after that Celtic hammering that Butland, James Tavernier and Leon Balogun should return for Rangers sooner rather than later. Unlike John Souttar, who faces another few weeks on the sidelines, none of the trio are expected to be out long-term.
Yet, with Tavernier, Balogun and now Dujon Sterling all unlikely to play a role at Dens Park, Boyd is worried that a lack of defensive ‘physicality’ could again provide the foundations for another poor away result.
“Defensively for Rangers, where do they go? Tavernier, I don’t think he’s going to make it so you’re probably looking at [Ridvan] Yilmaz again at right-back,” Boyd sighs. “Does Leon King get an opportunity at centre-back if Sterling doesn’t make it? Then, [Nico] Raskin is suspended, so does Connor Barron cone back in?
“Rangers have got options in the forward areas but, defensively, right now they are struggling. I do think there is a softness to them. They lack that physicality and teams are now looking at it saying; ‘We can exploit that’. I am sure [Dundee boss] Tony Docherty will be saying the same; ‘Can we put balls into the box? Can we ask questions of Rangers defensively?’.
“Set pieces are the best opportunity to score a goals against [the Old Firm terms]. Right now, looking at Rangers, it definitely is because there isn’t much physicality there, for me.”
