Ibrox boos as Danny Rohl fails to rouse a performance from a Rangers squad not fit for purpose

Amid the myriad European calamities and a cup semi-final loss to Celtic, Danny Rohl had somehow steered his stuttering squad to four consecutive Premiership wins.

A fifth, though, would elude them here, Rangers far too easily contained by a Falkirk team whose stock continues to rise with every passing week. With more conviction, John McGlynn’s side might have landed the club’s first Ibrox league win for a century but a point was the least they deserved for a resolute defensive performance.

Rangers did at least record a first home clean sheet since September but that was slim consolation at the end of another laboured performance that yielded precious little by way of scoring chances.

Rohl has been largely spared criticism since succeeding Russell Martin as manager but a month into his tenure and there is still no evident shape or strategy to Rangers’ play. There is a recognition that the German is working with a squad not fit for purpose but, even still, he should still be able to rouse those at his disposal into something far greater than they are currently showing.

Perhaps the most damning thing you can say about Rangers right now is just how ordinary they look. At home to a side playing top-tier football for the first time in 15 years, there was little of the menace or swagger that used to accompany the customary drubbings Rangers teams of the past would dole out in fixtures like this one.

Falkirk, buoyed by a stellar start to the season, never looked overwhelmed or out of their depth, certainly not by Rangers’ ponderous build-up play or half-hearted pressing as the groans around Ibrox grew louder with every passing minute.

Rohl has no choice but to make do with these players for at least another month and few can say they haven’t had an opportunity to impress. None of Bojan Miovski, Oliver Antman and Thelo Aasgaard did anything here to enhance their long-term prospects. The other member of the front four, Nedim Bajrami, at least provided an attacking threat in flashes in what was just his second start of the campaign.

Two penetrating runs late on from the winger and a Connor Barron shot what swerved wide were as good as it got from Rangers in a forgettable first half.

Falkirk had contained their hosts without showing any great attacking intent but the longer Rangers floundered, the bolder the visitors became. On came Alfie Agyeman on the hour mark and his presence immediately flustered Jack Butland into a botched clearance that could have led to a goal. Butland showed greater composure moments later to save well from Agyeman’s driven effort.

There was at least a spark about the game after 60 soporific minutes as both sides sensed an opportunity to convert one point into three. Scott Bain saved well to turn away Djeidi Gassama’s fierce shot but Bajrami, stretching at the back post, couldn’t turn in the rebound.

It was the closest Rangers would come to a goal all afternoon, the game dribbling out to the goalless draw that had looked almost inevitable from early on. The boos at full-time from those who had stayed told their own story.