Same start but different outlook at Rangers as McInnes era begins
Derek McInnes begins his Rangers tenure with a 1-1 draw at Dundee United, highlighting a summer of transition and ongoing squad rebuilding.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Rangers open the Scottish Premiership season with a 1-1 draw at Dundee United
- Derek McInnes stresses the need for patience and further squad additions
- Thelo Aasgaard scores the equalizer to secure a point for the visitors
- Defender Ben Godfrey suffers a hamstring injury during his debut
A year ago, Russell Martin tore strips off his Rangers team after an opening day draw at Motherwell. Two managers and plenty of disappointment later, it was the same result but a different tone at Dundee United as the Derek McInnes era started in underwhelming fashion.
The former Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Hearts boss stressed the need for time and for further additions as he guides the Ibrox outfit through a summer of transition.
Having gone behind to Lachlan Rose's first-half effort, Rangers improved after the break and equalised through Thelo Aasgaard, but failed to capitalise and were fortunate not to concede late on when Jesse Randall dinked a tame effort straight at debutant goalkeeper Ivor Pandur.
"At this point in the season, there's no knee-jerk [reaction] or anything here. He will have learned a lot from his players tonight."
Steven Thompson
On a night where Pandur, centre-back Ben Godfrey and former Hearts duo Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland all made their debuts from the start, it was a glimpse into what this new-look Rangers side might look like under McInnes. Summer signings Dan Neil and Ross McCrorie also came on as substitutes, and McInnes made it clear there will be further additions in the weeks to come.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Managing a massive squad overhaul during a summer transition period is one of the toughest challenges for a newly appointed manager at a major club. As Derek McInnes navigates early injuries, visa uncertainties, and tactical adjustments, building cohesive team chemistry will take time, requiring both the club's management and supporters to exercise patience during the early stages of the season.
However, former Rangers man Andy Halliday saw what he believes to have been flaws in McInnes' tactical set-up, noting that the team lacked compactness which he considers a primary fundamental regardless of the number of defenders deployed.
With Godfrey going off with a hamstring complaint and uncertainty over whether new signing Olwethu Makhanya will receive a visa for the upcoming Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia Bialystok, Rangers are actively looking for defensive recruits. Nevertheless, it is in wide areas that McInnes is most keen to strengthen, especially after Djeidi Gassama was hooked at half-time and the team finished the match playing narrow.
Source: BBC Sport
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment