Rangers players brutally slammed amid Ibrox ‘toxicity’ claim after draw vs Dundee United
Rangers suffered another frustrating result on Saturday as they drew 2-2 with Dundee United.
The Gers dominated the first half at Ibrox, but found themselves chasing the game in the latter stages, after two quickfire goals from the visitors midway through the second half.
James Tavernier rescued a point for Rangers with a late equaliser, but it could easily have been more had they capitalised on some of their earlier opportunities.
The Govan outfit have been in turmoil behind the scenes in recent weeks, as their search for a new manager has dragged on, but now it is the players who are coming under fire.
Scott McDermott slams Rangers squad for letting fans down
Kevin Muscat’s imminent move to Rangers fell through on Sunday evening, meaning that the uncertainty in the dugout looks set to continue for another few days at least.
U19s coach Steven Smith took charge of Saturday’s draw, and would have been delighted with what he saw during the first half.
However, Daily Record journalist Scott McDermott felt that their performance across the whole game was symptomatic of their season so far.
| Rangers | Stats | Dundee United |
| 77% | Possession | 23% |
| 1.07 | xG | 0.14 |
| 23 | Shots | 2 |
| 5 | Shots on Target | – |
| 31 | Touches in Opposition Box | 5 |
McDermott noted on Monday that a replica of the players’ first-half performance would have been enough to earn them three points, before he then followed that up with a brutal jab at their character as a group.
“All Smith’s boys had to do was replicate it after the break, and Rangers would have their first home league win of the campaign,” he wrote.
“But it was never going to be as simple as that. Not with this group of players.
“That’s what they do. They lull supporters into a false sense of security – then invariably let them down.”
He also branded the Gers’ promising first-half performance as “alien” and added that “there was no toxicity in the air.”
With that in mind, the fact that they failed to capitalise and secure an important victory is fairly damning.
Kevin Thelwell has to pay price for state of Rangers squad
Kevin Thelwell is coming under ever-increasing pressure at Rangers, and sooner rather than later, he simply has to pay the price for the ill-equipped squad that he has assembled.
The group simply do not appear to have the mental fortitude that is needed to represent a club like Rangers, where demands are constantly high.
McDermott is correct in his assessment that the players have let the fans down, but the squad was built over the summer by Thelwell, who cannot continue in his position in Govan.
There have been failings across the board at Rangers this summer, but the former Everton man has had a hand in far too many of them to be able to continue.
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