What’s going wrong for Rangers and McInnes?

Rangers’ Troubles Deepen Under McInnes as European Hopes Fade

Ninoda.com – Derek McInnes arrived at Ibrox with ambitions of replicating his triumphs from the previous campaign at Hearts. Yet the Scottish manager now finds himself presiding over the poorest opening sequence by any permanent Rangers boss since records began. What began as a three-match slump has now extended to four consecutive outings without victory.

Disillusionment among supporters was palpable during Thursday’s Europa League third qualifying round encounter with Jagiellonia Bialystok. Many spectators departed the stadium well before the concluding whistle, despite the mathematical possibility of a late strike sending proceedings into extra time.

A Manager Under Scrutiny

Just twelve months ago, Rangers endured a similarly rocky beginning under Russell Martin. That difficult period ultimately proved fatal for the English coach, whose dismissal came in early October. Now McInnes carries the burden of expectations from a passionate fanbase demanding immediate results.

The 1-1 draw on the night proved insufficient, leaving Rangers defeated 3-2 on aggregate. Questions are already mounting about whether the manager faces mounting pressure at Ibrox.

Identifying the Problems

Despite investing heavily in nine new players this summer, McInnes maintains the squad lacks the necessary caliber. “The club is built for the Champions League and Europa League, but I don’t think the team is ready for it and it pains me to say it,” he explained. “We need to get more quality, we need to get more confidence into the team.”

He continued: “That is the job I came into Rangers to do. Rangers finishing third last season, what was served up wasn’t good enough. We have to get things moving in the right way quickly.”

McInnes acknowledged Jagiellonia’s capabilities while insisting his side should have prevailed. “Jagiellonia are a decent team with some good players and I think they’re well coached, but Rangers at their best should be winning this.”

Tactical Missteps and Fan Reaction

The manager identified a recurring issue from last season’s conclusion: the inability to maintain performance standards across ninety minutes. When asked about supporters booing his team, he responded: “I think it was justified, to be honest. What we served up in the second half was not good enough.”

He reflected further: “In the four games we’ve had, there’s been some good moments, but it’s not been good enough and certainly not a strong enough 90-minute performance. It is not great to watch. My team go from some good highs in the first half to being as poor as we were in the second half and you have to say we didn’t do enough.”

McInnes admitted Rangers surrendered control following the interval when he substituted Thelo Aasgaard for full-back Ross McCrorie, shifting from a three-man defense to four. The Ibrox boss believed the Norway midfielder “was not getting involved enough” and hoped the structural change would allow his wingers to become “more involved higher up the pitch.”

Expert Analysis and Additional Concerns

Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday offered his perspective on BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound. “The reasoning makes sense, but it didn’t work, it’s as simple as that,” he stated. “The only thing I would challenge about that is I thought [Djeidi] Gassama and [Daisuke] Yokota got loads of the ball relatively high up in the first half. They lost all control without that extra body in midfield.”

Thursday’s loss condemns Rangers to a Conference League play-off against Czech outfit Jablonec. Compounding the disappointment, Youssef Chermiti suffered a serious knee injury mere moments after the club turned down a substantial offer for the twenty-two-year-old striker.

This setback forces Rangers to pursue an additional forward alongside the wingers and defenders McInnes had already prioritized. The manager confirmed the club are “working so hard to get the necessary type of players,” with PSV Eindhoven’s Couhaib Driouech poised to join.

Halliday suggested the squad “shouldn’t be that imbalanced this late into the transfer window” and identified specific needs: “three centre-halves, one left-back, two, arguably, three wingers.” Nevertheless, he maintained the existing roster “should be enough to beat Dundee United, it should be enough to beat Hibs and, to be honest, it should be enough to beat Jagiellonia Bialystok.”

Shankland’s Captaincy Challenge

Rangers anticipated that reuniting McInnes with Lawrence Shankland would prove successful following their near-miss title challenge at Hearts. However, former Rangers striker Steven Thompson believes Shankland is already experiencing the burden of leadership.

“It’s the weight of playing for Rangers, the weight of not having the start that he wanted, and the weight of taking a bad touch,” Thompson observed. “At previous clubs, if you take a bad touch and give…”