I watched Rangers edge past Jablonec and noted Fernandez fury, a new signing with promise but problem areas

Ryan Naderi scored the only goal of the game on 50 minutes, with Rangers finishing the match with ten men following Cammy Devlin’s red card.

Mark Atkinson covered proceedings for The Scotsman and picks out three talking points after the match.

A win - but more is needed

It was important that Rangers took something to Jablonec next week, regardless of the performance. The second leg should be a much tougher affair at the tight, 6,000-capacity Stadion Střelnice against a team that prior to visiting Glasgow had won their past six matches.

Jablonec didn’t offer much at Ibrox. They were limited - especially in the final third - and even with an extra man for the past 15 minutes, they did not test Rangers enough. Their manager Luboš Kozel admitted as much afterwards.

Rangers merited the win and it should please their boss Derek McInnes that he has two wins in a row now under his belt - even if the performance was fairly unconvincing. Their build-up play was often too slow, and there is still not enough creativity from the centre of midfield. Wingers Diasuke Yokota and Djeidi Gassama had their moments, but the latter’s open-goal miss when the score was 1-0 could prove to be a pivotal moment in this tie.

As was Devlin’s 74th-minute red card, which the Australian can have no complaints. It was a reckless act from a player who Rangers fans are already questioning. His former Hearts teammate and Rangers captain Lawrence Shankland was a stoppage-time substitute, with Ryan Naderi preferred as the main striker. The German scored from close range but remains too much of a peripheral No 9. Hopefully his second goal in as many games will raise confidence levels.

During the match, it emerged that Rangers are closing in on an £8 million deal for South Korean wing Kim Min-su, who is at La Liga side Girona. Their quest for a final wide-man might end with the 20-year-old; McInnes hinted that a deal is close. They need more in the final third, with a creative midfielder and a striker surely still on the shopping list. Rangers still struggle to break down opponents who like to frustrate them by sitting deep and asking them to be the aggressor.

Fernandez frustration grows

We are a long way from the spring, when centre-half Emmanuel Fernandez was oozing with confidence, dominating the defence and popping up with goals. The 25-year-old became an internationalist with Nigeria and was linked with a host of clubs. A big-money move was touted.

Fernandez has come back this season and looks to have regressed. His positional play was once again suspect against Jablonec and he was given a tough time by their physical striker Lamin Jawo, who he poleaxed with a really poor tackle just 12 minutes in. His passing was also slack too, and was often seen venting his frustration at those in front of him.

Rangers fans have certainly noticed his drop-off in performance levels. There was disgruntlement at Fernandez’s display and it would not be a huge surprise if the former Peterborough player is the man to make way for Ben Godfrey, who is expected to return from injury next week for the second leg.

We have seen the good and bad from Fernandez since he arrived at Ibrox a year ago. There is clearly an effective defender in there, but right now he is some way off his optimum level.

The flip side of the defence

While Fernandez struggled against Jablonec, his centre-half partner Olwethu Makhanya was named man-of-the-match - and deservedly so. The South African was dominant and composed, everything you want from a defender.

The 22-year-old South African internationalist arrived from Philadelphia Union last month and appears to be settling well into Scottish football. He is a swift mover, decent on the ball and likes a duel. His performance was rightly lauded by McInnes in his post-match interview.

“He’s come from MLS, a different type of football,” said McInnes. “We've seen a lot of games in MLS and it's slow and pedestrian-like. What we did like about him when we watched him was his ability to go man-for-man, his ability to not lose a foot race. There's a calmness on the ball. It's a different type of football, obviously, in the MLS, you don't get that sort of experience here. But I do think he's dealt with everything we've asked him. I think it's right that you mention it, to be honest.

“I think he's come in where the team's not been at its best. He's coming from the outside in and just trying to settle in. I think there's a lot of them in that sense. Those adjustments, there's a lot of young players, a lot of players sign that we're trying to integrate and get those sort of connections. But he's done that really well. I think there's a lot more to come from him as well.”