Ryan Jack: Rangers have no more room for error

Former Aberdeen skipper Ryan Jack is positive despite a stuttering start to his Rangers career. Photograph: Alan Harvey/SNS

Having been susceptible, Rangers now need to be invincible, to coin a phrase from last season, or as near as damn it, having dropped five points in their opening three matches.

This has to start in Dingwall this afternoon, according to Jack, who has the belief that there is enough quality within the Ibrox squad to spark a concerted run of victories.

The former Aberdeen captain said: “We’re behind already and there’s going to be no more room for error or slip-ups.

“There’s no getting away from it – to pick up one point in the last two home games has not been great.

“The only answer for it is to work as hard as we can in training and stick together as a group. I’m sure we’ll get through it.

“Certain circumstances have dictated the results but as a group we know it needs to be better. When teams come to Ibrox and maybe sit in a bit against us we need to plan how to deal with that better and break teams down more.

“It has been frustrating but it’s a fresh week and we’re looking forward to the Ross County game and getting the three points hopefully.

“We’ve got a really good group of lads and team spirit. It gives you hope that we definitely have the ability to turn things round.

“I see enough to suggest we can go on a run of wins.

“There’s pressure on every game. The manger always gets across that there is an expectation to win every game. That’s just what comes with playing at a big club.

“There’s not a better feeling than knowing that after you’ve worked hard for 90 minutes you’ve got the result. As players, we just want to get that back and get everyone onside.”

Jack admits that the non-Scottish recruits have been taken aback a little by the frantic nature of the game here but he points out that Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso, in particular, have adapted quickly and he insists the Mexican duo of Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera will prove their worth.

He said: “After the Motherwell game, Bruno and Fabio said they had never seen so many long balls and had to challenge for so many headers and do so much running.

‘It is the possession game they are used to. For them, it has been different trying to adapt to a lot of long balls, teams trying to put us under pressure. But that is what comes from playing at such a big team.

‘They have adapted quite well and we have been working on the intensity and them having to defend long balls coming into the box in training. They are doing great in training on that side of it.

“I think Herrera and Pena have definitely got ability. There’s no doubt about that – you see it in training.

“When we’ve spoken to them it’s the intensity and the pace of the game here that’s different. In Mexico, it’s a bit slower in the build-up and more technical.

“Here there’s a lot more chasing and closing down, then players closing you down when you get the ball.

“For them it’s just about adapting and getting time to settle in. They need time to get their family settled in, to get their head on football and adapt in training.”

With Josh Windass injured, Herrera may find himself back in the starting line-up in Ross-shire while Manchester City loanee Aaron Nemane will also come into the equation.

Manager Pedro Caixinha said: “We know it’s going to be a tough challenge. They play positive football in their own way and they are very aggressive.

“They have very good strikers and they have strong second wave from the midfield.

“So we know what to expect but we are working hard to win.

“Let’s look at the last match against Hearts, we did enough in that game to win it but we ended up drawing it.

“Herrera will be back on Sunday and will give us an option.”