As Rangers fans left Hampden after the 3-1 defeat to Hibs there was plenty to criticise but the club’s second-half substitutions were particularly mind-boggling.
The Gers were chasing the match against the Hibees and despite dominating the ball in the second 45 failed to create anything of real note with several players not pulling their weight.
The likes of Alfredo Morelos, Glen Kamara and Steven Davis all toiled at Hampden but played out either the whole game or most of it on a depressing day at the national stadium.
With the Ibrox side lacking any real invention in the second half, David McCallum and the interim management would look to the bench.
But remarkably, it was not any of the players who looked majorly disinterested who were subbed off the park.
Ryan Kent – whilst admittedly not at his best is undoubtedly one of the club’s matchwinners – was the first to be hooked for Fashion Sakala.
Then Joe Aribo – arguably the only bright spark in the Rangers side over the piece – was hauled off for Ryan Jack and Scott Arfield – the goalscorer – replaced by Ianis Hagi.
Still Kamara, Davis and Morelos remained, all three players playing well below their levels and clearly toiling.
Not only that, but the introduction of the players did little to change the course of the match, Rangers instead losing some spark rather than gaining it.
Scott Wright and Calvin Bassey would replace Kamara and Leon Balogun later in the game but by this point, the damage had been done.
Rangers fans – still bemused at the substitutions come full time – have been calling them out online as they scratch their head over the decisions from the bench:
https://twitter.com/Rangers_FC_1872/status/1462479336238370820
https://twitter.com/crossy72_/status/1462511512489275406
https://twitter.com/KelmanPeter/status/1462682049257656325
https://twitter.com/Rangers4K/status/1462512750488428551
There is much work for Giovanni van Bronckhorst to be done as he kicks off his first week in charge of Rangers ahead of the Europa League clash with Sparta Prague.
But any suggestion that the blame for this pathetic defeat to Hibs lies with him is more designed to stir the pot than justify the cup exit.
