Rangers were lacking in inspiration as they limped to defeat in Kilmarnock on Sunday and fans have rightly been up in arms about the performance.
Killie keeper Robby McCrorie wasn’t troubled enough and their backline was pretty comfortable in dealing with most things that got thrown at them.
And at the other end Gers were meek in dealing with the one crucial moment that led to the home side scoring the only goal of the game, one simple ball over the heads of the defence with Marley Watkins the only person aggressive and determined to take charge of the situation.
It was a bad day at the office, but even worse in the context of the weekend with Celtic and Aberdeen both dropping points against each other, and has thrown up concerns about the direction of the team.
There weren’t many in the Rangers third kit that got pass marks.
Rangers trio Connor Barron, Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande looked ‘lost’
But there was one area of the pitch in particular that was a concern for former captain Barry Ferguson, and it was his old domain in the centre of midfield.
Manager Philippe Clement previously admitted his side missed enforcer John Lundstram in the middle after his summer exit, and Fergie agrees.
Connor Barron, 22, was signed from Aberdeen in the summer while Mohamed Diomande, also 22, had his loan made permanent. The other player used in there on Sunday was Nicolas Raskin, 23.
Ferguson feels the opportunity to properly replace Lundstram in the engine room with a similar player. As a result, the young trio are desperately crying out for someone to go in and lead them.
Speaking on Go Radio, he said: “They cut the budget in the summer, by letting players like Lundstram and Goldson go, who were the higher earners. They have reduced that by bringing in players like (Robin) Propper, who came in for Goldson. Barron is the same with Lundstram.
“But the manager has been given money to and spend on players. Igamane, £2million, Bajrami, £3m, Jefte was just over £1m so there has been money made available. I look at young Connor and Mohamed Diomande, and you can throw Nico Raskin in who’s a young midfielder.
“But I said it when the window was still open, even before the season started, that it was an area of the pitch the needed experience after losing the experience of Lundstram, who I know wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea. But he was 30, 31. He was a leader on the pitch and could communicate.
“That’s an area where I thought Rangers would have gone and strengthened. Even to bring these younger players on. I thought on Sunday looking at them they looked a wee bit lost.”
Do Rangers miss John Lundstram?
Clement’s previous comments on the matter earlier this season were: “We had some who missed pre-season and others who are new like Connor Barron. You miss a really important part with Lundstram there too lead the team out of the midfield.”
As Ferguson said, Lundstram wasn’t everyone’s cup of team and he certainly blew hot and cold. He had some really good spells in a Rangers jersey and some not so good.
His use of the ball wasn’t always spot on but he was and enforcer and someone who would dig in, make tackles and give as good as he got physically.
Barron has been praised for his general performance but has also blown hot and cold and is small in stature, as are Raskin and Diomande.
On top of that, all three are inexperienced and there is a question over whether they should be thrown into the trenches together without an older head.
