Rangers reaction: Alarm bells for van Bronckhorst; Allan McGregor spares total humiliation; Aaron Ramsey needed sooner rather than later

Rangers have turned a six-point lead over Celtic at the top of the Premiership into a one-point deficit over the course of their first four matches after the winter break.

If Giovanni van Bronckhorst earned and enjoyed an extended honeymoon period as manager of the Ibrox club, with seven wins from his first seven league games in charge, it’s certainly over now.

Van Bronckhorst’s unbeaten start to life as Steven Gerrard’s successor was always going to come to an end at some stage.

But the manner of his first defeat and the identity of the opponents who inflicted it in such devastating style means the Dutch coach is suddenly the subject of intense and unforgiving scrutiny from the Rangers support.

Joe Aribo's body language tells the story of Rangers' abject display in their 3-0 defeat against Celtic. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

If concerns were raised by the points dropped in unconvincing away draws at Aberdeen and Ross County either side of a laboured home win over Livingston, the first-half skewering at Celtic Park on Wednesday night has truly set alarm bells ringing at full volume.

Defensive woes

Just as they had been in the 3-3 draw in Dingwall four days earlier, Rangers were all over the place at the back against a vibrant Celtic side who went at them full pelt from the first whistle.

Unlike against County, however, none of the blame could be laid at Allan McGregor’s door on this occasion. Which was just as well for van Bronckhorst - but for the 40-year-old goalkeeper’s heroics, it’s no exaggeration to say Rangers could have found themselves 6-0 down at half-time.

Scott Arfield (left) and James Tavernier exchange words after Rangers conceded the second goal in their 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

The 3-0 lead Celtic forged was bad enough from van Bronckhorst’s perspective and while Ange Postecoglou’s side merit all the praise they are getting for the relentless pace and fluidity of their attacking play in that first half, Rangers’ back four were all too easily maneuvered out of shape.

They were especially exposed in the full-back areas where captain James Tavernier struggled against Jota on the right and Borna Barisic was consistently caught on his heels on the left.

There was more stability in the second half when Leon Balogun replaced Barisic, with Calvin Bassey switched to left-back, but by that stage Celtic were content to manage the game more conservatively.

An injection of creativity required

Rangers’ game-changing players in midfield and attack were miserably off the pace. Joe Aribo deserves all the kudos to come his way this season but the Nigerian international was unable to impose himself on the game in any meaningful way.

Ryan Kent never stopped trying to get on the ball and make something happen but he was subdued by the outstanding Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic.

On-loan Manchester United winger Amad Diallo was comfortably contained by Greg Taylor and it was no surprise when he was replaced at half-time.

The introduction of Ryan Jack significantly improved Rangers in the second half, albeit in circumstances when it would simply have been impossible for them to be any worse than they were before the break.

If Jack can regain sufficient match fitness to start regularly after his injury woes, he will unquestionably enhance Rangers’ efforts to get their title defence back on track.

But they also need the ‘X’ factor that they hope marquee signing Aaron Ramsey, who looked on from the directors’ box at Celtic Park, can provide. On this evidence, the Welsh star’s first appearance can’t come too soon.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.