Rangers extras: Ferguson in a corner, 5 changes he should make and 117,417/1 crazy fivefold

Fuming Ferguson comes out swinging

We always knew that Barry Ferguson would bring passion to the Rangers dugout and the wake of another humiliation in front of his own fans, the interim manager did not hold back with his withering assessment of the players at his disposal.

“Worse than disappointing, God, where do I start? How long have we got?,” said Ferguson after the game. “That’s not a Rangers team. Miles from being a Rangers team. This is your bread and butter.

“I’ve said it, I feel I’m repeating myself. European games, Celtic games are the easiest games to get up for. These are the games this group of players struggle with and it was evident today.

“You’re playing for Glasgow Rangers. If you can’t get up for games of football then you shouldn’t be playing football. Especially here, you come into a place like this.

“Brilliant stadium and supporters, packed to the rafters getting behind you, and we put a performance on like that. As you can probably see or hear, I’m fuming. I’ve made my mind up what way we have to go from now until the end of the season. And it might not be pretty to watch.”

Those last couple of lines from Ferguson are exceptionally telling. The 47-year-old has backed himself into a corner to a degree because he has now told many of those players that he simply does not see them befitting of representing Rangers. And the supporters will be expected actions to evidence his words given how underwhelmed they are with affairs.

Most Rangers fans had vacated Ibrox by the time the full-time whistle went. There is apathy. Many are just fed up of watching this current crop flop so abjectly against domestic opponents. Ferguson must know that time is running out to convince current or new paymasters that he deserves to remain at Ibrox beyond this season.

He has six more league games - and they will be against Aberdeen twice, Celtic, Hibs, Dundee United and possibly Hearts. All big ones, and that’s before you include the Europa League quarter-final clash with Athletic Bilbao. Ferguson needs a strong reaction to stop his tenure ending with a whimper.

Who do Rangers drop?

Ferguson vowed that he will make changes for Thursday night’s match against Athletic Bilbao at Ibrox. “I’m going to go back tonight and I’m going to be raging,” he said I don’t want to see anybody. I’ve asked them, is it going to hurt you? That’s my question to them. Yeah, there’ll be a series of changes on Thursday night. And I can say that right now.”

Two of those will be enforced. Defender John Souttar and midfielder Mohamed Diomande are suspended. It’s hard to envision Ferguson - even after he has calmed down - stopping there.

Goalkeeper Jack Butland made another mistake when he allowed Dylan Levitt’s shot to squirm through him and he could be replaced by Liam Kelly, although Butland has kept some of his better recent performances for Europe. Left-back Jefte was poor against Hibs and Ridvan Yilmaz should be given the nod ahead of him.

Further up the pitch, there is a conundrum in attack. Cyriel Dessers was back to his infuriating worst with poor finishing but his work-rate might spare him the chop. Hamza Igamane was once again off the boil. Surely one of the strikers will have to make way, potentially for Danilo.

The sorry Rangers stat

Five home defeats in a row. That is a miserable state of affairs for Rangers. Queen’s Park, St Mirren, Motherwell, Fenerbahce, Hibs. It is hardly a glittering array of opponents, with the greatest respect to the quintet. A quick calculation shows that particular fivefold would land you odds odds of - wait for it - 117,417/1.

Rangers have never lost five home games in a row before. It is a stain on this ‘class’, if you can even call them that. What odds on Athletic Bilbao making it six?