Derek McInnes is discovering just how difficult his return to Ibrox can be, with Rangers still searching for their first win since he took charge. A lacklustre draw at Dundee United to open the Scottish Premiership season was followed by a 2-1 defeat away to Jagiellonia Bialystok in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie, leaving the new manager with plenty to address.
McInnes arrived at Ibrox with hope that he could provide stability after a string of managers who came in with high expectations but departed amid frustration. The club has already brought in nine new signings this summer, with further additions anticipated, yet the defensive frailties that plagued Rangers last season appear far from resolved.
Speaking after the loss in Poland, McInnes did not shy away from drawing uncomfortable comparisons to last term's struggles. "We've seen a lot tonight of what I thought Rangers were last season," he admitted, a stark assessment from a manager well aware of the standards expected at the club. Neither Russell Martin nor Danny Rohl managed to turn things around during their brief spells in charge, while McInnes had been enjoying considerable success at Hearts before his move.
Rangers were second best for much of the first half in Bialystok, undone by defensive lapses that allowed the hosts to carve through them repeatedly. In the 12th minute, Thelo Aasgaard attempted a piece of skill on the edge of the box, and Jagiellonia punished Rangers moments later with a swift counter-attack that ended in the back of the net.
McInnes was blunt in his post-match analysis, acknowledging his side's culpability. "I thought we gave up too many chances and gave teams too much encouragement," he said. "We've got to be honest and say we are guilty of beating ourselves tonight. And that's no disrespect to our opponent because on transitions and counter-attack, it fuels them."
He went further in outlining what needs to change defensively, stressing the psychological toll of conceding avoidable goals. "There's no bigger drain on confidence for any player, team, support than losing cheap goals," McInnes said. "There were mistakes for the goals, and I understand that can happen, but we have got to be far more stingy with our work, defend the goal with our lives, don't give our opponent opportunities. At no cost is that ball going in our box, at no cost are they going to get a chance, and we've got to have a bit more of that approach to our work."
The central defensive pairing of Dujon Sterling and Emmanuel Fernandez struggled throughout, prompting former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday to question the Argentine's readiness for the demands of the role, while acknowledging McInnes currently has few alternatives. Halliday suggested Fernandez possesses the raw attributes to become an elite defender but appears to lack fundamental defensive grounding.
A half-time triple substitution—introducing Cammy Devlin, Findlay Curtis and Nicolas Raskin—transformed Rangers' display after the break. Curtis, who impressed on loan at Kilmarnock last season and earned a Scotland World Cup call-up, was particularly influential, hitting the post and forcing a save late on during his 45-minute cameo.
Former Rangers striker Steven Thompson praised the teenager's directness on the ball, noting his willingness to take on defenders rather than play safe, while Halliday highlighted the spark Curtis provided going forward. With Rangers trailing in the tie and searching for attacking impetus, greater involvement for the winger seems likely as McInnes looks to arrest the club's troubling start to the campaign.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.