Rangers reaction: Antonio Colak's nice gesture, PSV shine light on Ibrox club, Ryan Kent's point of no return

Talking points from Rangers’ 2-1 defeat to St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park as manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s problems intensified. The Ibrox side now trail leaders Celtic by seven points. St Johnstone, meanwhile, move into the top six after a third win on the trot.
Rangers' Antonio Colak can't bear to look after another chance goes a-begging against St Johnstone  (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)Rangers' Antonio Colak can't bear to look after another chance goes a-begging against St Johnstone  (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)
Rangers' Antonio Colak can't bear to look after another chance goes a-begging against St Johnstone (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Kent fails to respond

James Brown earned the headlines for his stunning first-half goal, but he also contributed to making it another difficult afternoon for Ryan Kent. The winger has been under the spotlight recently for a series of underwhelming performances. He was a lot better last weekend in the 4-1 win over Aberdeen and many thought he might have turned the corner. However, another insipid showing against Ajax last midweek – he was not alone there – meant his performance here was being heavily scrutinised. There wasn’t much to scrutinise – he was barely involved.

Brown, who played at right wingback, patrolled him well alongside right-sided centre back Ryan McGowan and it appears to be reaching the point of no return when it comes to Kent’s standing among Rangers fans. He was badly under par again in a game where he should really be ripping it up for the sum Rangers paid for the winger from Liverpool. His own manager pretty much said that he needs to show more in the Sunday newspapers. Well, there was precious little evidence of him responding to that challenge.

Alex Mitchell

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The 21-year-old St Johnstone centre half was immaculate in the centre of defence for the hosts, although it does help when you have veterans like McGowan and Andrew Considine on either side of you. But Mitchell has been impressing for weeks now at the heart of the St Johnstone backline, to the extent that it’s drawn a scout from Millwall to McDiarmid Park to assess how the player is faring (he’s on loan from the London club). Manager Callum Davidson didn’t sound too worried afterwards. “I know the scout, so it’s all right!” said Davidson, who is a former Millwall assistant manager of course.

Antonio Colak gets shirty

Rangers need a new No 9. Or at least, they need a new No 9 shirt. Amid the booing and the fractiousness at the end of the game in the Rangers stands, there was at least some generosity of spirit detected. At the end of the game, Antonio Colak, who it must be said had been disappointing throughout, made a beeline to a fan in the North stand and handed him or her his shirt. At least someone in the Rangers contingent wasn’t leaving empty handed. It was a nice gesture. It was surely very easy for Colak to have simply slunk off.

PSV winners in ‘Rangers derby’

It’s strange, perhaps, for a result in the Eredivisie to be of any great interest to Rangers fans. But yesterday’s outcome at the Johan Cruyff Arena, home of Ajax of course, surely raised an eyebrow. Ajax, who twice defeated Rangers in their Champions League group by an aggregate score of 7-1, were beaten 2-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven, who of course were eliminated at the Champions League play-off stage by the Ibrox side. Strangely, it’s possible to date the start of Rangers’ current troubles to that moment. Football really is baffling sometimes.

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