Rangers dropped points with a draw against Dundee after an extremely difficult match that ended 1-1, with James Tavernier scoring a stoppage-time penalty to level it. Fans and analysts flooded social media to decry the draw. That anxiety increased particularly following Rangers’ stunning 3-0 away win over Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League qualifying rounds. Russell Martin’s decision to maintain an unchanged starting XI against Dundee raised questions about the team’s mentality and performance levels.
Kris Boyd, a former player and current analyst, expressed his worries regarding Rangers’ performance against Dundee, particularly after a strong showing in their prior Champions League match. He emphasized the uncertainty of the team’s performance. Put another way, he argued that these players weren’t able to take their European success onto the domestic stage, onto the league.
“It would be a worry that you go from the highs of Tuesday night, and we’ve seen it with Rangers again in Europe,” – Kris Boyd
Concerns Over Player Upgrades
Boyd’s worries go well beyond the lost match result. Case in point were all the upgrades they made on the offensive and defensive lines, and specifically on quarterback. Boyd welcomed the addition of Nasser Djiga. Djiga is on loan and how impactful could he be compared to those former squad members.
He remarked on other signings, stating, “Other than that, I don’t really see Rangers have an upgrade in any position.” Supporters are understandably anxious about the club’s future. Specifically, they question whether the offseason improvements can get them far enough to be in contention for another title.
Yet it was the performance of Oliver Antman that really stood out. Boyd’s main challenge has been to compare himself favorably to last year’s breakout, Vaclav Cerny, who had double-digit goal contributions. The analyst is hopeful on Antman, but thinks he hasn’t shown the same elite level, even though he could.
Tactical Decisions Raise Eyebrows
Time to get the boiler suit on Martin’s decision to field an unchanged squad against Dundee has been broadly welcomed. Critics claim this controversial decision is at least partially responsible for the team’s failure to win even a single game. Boyd mentioned that Nicolas Raskin and Joe Rothwell have been left on the bench the past two games. All of this makes for some interesting questions regarding their fate in the ship’s complement.
He expressed concerns about Rothwell’s potential to be an improvement over Rashkin. “I don’t see Joe Rothwell as an upgrade on Nico Raskin,” Boyd asserted, adding that these decisions could hinder Rangers’ ambitions for the season.
Boyd emphasized the strategic decisions taken throughout the game. He praised Clark Robertson’s great performance across the board, particularly when his headed attempt almost resulted in a goal but instead rattled the post. This incident served as a microcosm of the failures Rangers experienced all night long against Dundee and highlighted their unfortunate inability to turn chances into goals.
Title Race Implications
The draw with Dundee creates massive consequences for Rangers as they continue their battle for the Scottish Premiership title. So far, they are four points adrift of their arch-rivals Celtic only two matches into the new campaign. This early deficit has sent alarm bells ringing for fans and analysts alike, with memories of last season’s frustrations still fresh in their minds.
Boyd emphasized that it’s not too late to change direction. He cautioned that early failures can suck morale and poison team unity. For one, he was worried about the team’s mentality — especially in late-game, high-pressure moments like this.
Further ahead, critical matches await for Rangers, both a possible deeper run in European competition as well as key domestic fixtures. We can’t wait to see what they do with these challenges!
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