St Mirren 1 Rangers 1
The fact that securing a last-minute draw in Paisley seemed somewhat positive for Russell Martin highlights how low expectations have become for Rangers.
After last week’s setback against Club Brugge in the Champions League, there was a widespread belief they might falter against St Mirren, and indeed, they narrowly avoided defeat.
Yet, this tie could not shield Martin from an unenviable record, as he became the first Rangers manager since Graeme Souness in 1989 not to win any of the initial three games of a season.
Rangers boss Martin cuts a frustrated figure at the end of Sunday’s 1-1 draw at St Mirren
Teenage substitute Findlay Curtis fires home Rangers’ equaliser against St Mirren
The notion that Martin is simply the wrong manager in the wrong movie is becoming harder to dispel with each passing week.
Facing Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday, the risk looms that a troublesome start might escalate into a major crisis. Fans once more expressed their displeasure at the final whistle.
Rangers were up against a determined and combative St Mirren side that pressed continuously, making it a potentially difficult day for them.
For John Souttar and his fellow defenders, dealing with the formidable front pair of Jonah Ayunga and Mikael Mandron was likely as appealing as undergoing root canal surgery.
Rangers, for their part, are toothless up front. That much was evident when Martin named a team without a recognised striker.
Thelo Aasgaard was asked to operate as a false nine, with Danilo on the bench and Cyriel Dessers still not fit enough to be in the squad.
Rangers striker Hamza Igamane refused to come off the bench during Sunday’s game
That Martin would rather play without a striker than include Danilo is a damning indictment of how he views the Brazilian, while underlining the need for new signings.
With Hamza Igamane seemingly unfit, or unwilling to come on as a substitute in the second half, there appeared to be some dissent in a bloated Rangers squad that really needs trimmed down.
The result left Rangers six points behind Celtic just three games into the Premiership campaign, with the Old Firm clash at Ibrox already looking pivotal.
Not just in terms of Rangers’ ambitions of mounting a title challenge, but Martin’s prospects of turning this around.
This was another match which raised more questions than answers. Laborious and lacking creation with the ball, there is no tangible sign of progress in the team.
Fans could excuse a few teething problems if there were some positive signs. But there’s nothing. No real hope on which to cling. Watching Rangers knock the ball around at the back is the definition of possession for possession’s sake.
There is no attacking thrust or tempo to their play. From the touchline, Martin urged his players to move the ball quicker but rarely did it come to fruition.
St Mirren boss Robinson named an unchanged team on the back of a penalty shootout win over Hearts in the Premier Sports Cup.
Rangers forward Thelo Aasgaard has a shot saved by St Mirren goalkeeper Shamal George
Findlay Curtis’ shot beats St Mirren goalkeeper George to salvage a point for Rangers
Saints were looking to build on their good form against Rangers from last season as they came into this clash on a three-match unbeaten run against the Ibrox side.
Rangers arrived in Paisley battered and bruised from the defeat to Brugge, and looking to improve a poor away record which saw them win just eight league games on the road last season.
Martin had spoken in the build-up about his appreciation of the patience being shown by the club’s American owners. In a broadcast interview prior to kick-off, he had also refuted the suggestion this was a ‘must-win’ match.
If that was an attempt to relieve the pressure on his players, it didn’t work. Rangers started poorly, just as they had done against the Belgians.
Continuing to captain the team in the absence of James Tavernier, Souttar was rag-dolled out wide by Ayunga early on.
That set the tone. Souttar’s form has been poor and he looks slow, cumbersome and weak. Watching him captain this side speaks of a glaring lack of leadership in the squad.
Jonah Ayunga is hailed by team-mates after giving St Mirren the lead
Nico Raskin was booked for a foul, after Joe Rothwell had given the ball away cheaply in midfield, as Rangers toiled to get a grip in the middle of the pitch.
St Mirren were physically dominant, and sharper to every second ball. They could have taken the lead midway through the first half when Mandron came within inches of connecting with a Killian Phillips cross at the back post.
Bright moments for Rangers were few and far between. Oliver Antman and Djeidi Gassama both had efforts at goal as they cut inside from their wings.
Jayden Meghoma went on the overlap down the left and delivered a decent ball into the box, but Lyall Cameron’s shot flew over the bar.
Rangers fell behind on 33 minutes as St Mirren were rewarded for an enterprising start.
One simple ball out from the back found Mandron in acres of space in behind the Rangers midfield. Turning away from Raskin, he pierced the backline to release Ayunga in on goal. Souttar was never catching him, although he wasn’t helped by centre-back partner Emmy Fernandez being miles out of position.
Ayunga drilled the ball past Jack Butland. In the space of two passes, the ball had gone from St Mirren’s box to being in the back of the Rangers net.
Martin’s side were so wide open it beggared belief. St Mirren’s front two terrorised the visitors, with Ayunga devouring young Meghoma deep inside the Rangers half to win possession.
Meghoma and Antman were replaced at half-time. A change of shape saw Danilo and Mikey Moore both come on
Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland makes a save to deny St Mirren’s Alex Gogic
Rangers improved for a brief period, yet lost their shape and structure too easily. It became a disjointed display with a hint of desperation.
They just didn’t create anything clear-cut. Linked with a loan move for Bojan Miovski, you wonder if the ex-Aberdeen striker would make any difference in this team.
Saints defender Alex Gogic had a great chance to make it 2-0 on 70 minutes, only to blaze a shot over the bar after a Mandron knockdown.
Rangers would eventually find a spark two minutes after Curtis came off the bench..
After the ball broke to him on the edge of the box from a corner, he lashed a low finish into the bottom corner past Shamal George.
Sixty seconds later, he almost made it two, George tipping his powerful shot over the crossbar. For the first time, Saints were rocking ever so slightly as Rangers rallied.
The hosts had a fantastic chance to reclaim the lead when a Gogic header from a free-kick forced Butland into a full-stretch save.
In the end, Rangers scarcedly deserved a point, while St Mirren will feel it was probably a missed opportunity to claim all three.
