The night Rangers learned a harsh lesson

With the kind of form Rangers had been in up to last night’s
visit to the Falkirk Stadium, while complacency would be unforgiveable, a sense
of optimism at recent results and chances of taking all three points from Peter
Houston’s men was more than understandable.

Having destroyed Premiership Dundee in recent weeks while
putting away the likes of Raith Rovers, St Mirren and Morton around the same
time, Rangers’ present form was looking formidable, as was the lead they had in
the table amounting to 14 points over second-placed Falkirk.

And when Barrie McKay’s early second found the back of the
net inside 15 minutes last night, it looked like becoming a cricket score. The
play was smooth and flowing, the defending stout, and the fullbacks were
flying.

Only, instead of asserting their vast superiority with a
third and a fourth goal, Rangers committed two diabolical sins – one was the
fault of the players, the other of the manager.

The first failing was most of the players completely taking
the foot off the gas in a rather foolish manner – that complacency would have
been staring an irate Warburton in the face, and as the team continued to fade,
their hosts came into it more and more, and became much more threatening.

Having witnessed this subtle turnaround, Warbs’ deployed his
first substitution around the 60 minute mark, removing McKay and replacing him
with Forrester. It made little difference, but the next batch of substitutions
most certainly did – the best player on the pitch, Kenny Miller, found himself
inexplicably taken off and replaced by the perennially ineffective Nicky Clark,
while winger Billy King was hooked in favour of Michael O’Halloran.

But it was the removal of Miller which was most baffling –
with the striker playing a slightly deeper role, his movement created holes the
Titanic could fit through at the Bairns’ rearguard – and that pattern continued
all match while Miller was on.

It would be tough to recall this many offsides with Miller
pulling defenders forward leaving space for the McKays and Holts to run onto –
and this tactic helped glean Rangers’ goals.

Removing Miller was simply a mistake which arguably significantly contributed to losing
Rangers the three points. The players themselves had already blown the lead
thanks to sloppy play at the back from both Dominic Ball then Rob Kiernan, but
the removal of Miller changed the forward dynamic completely and forced the
visitors into slower possession attack rather than the incisive cutting edge
his presence had given them.

Warburton stood by those substitutions, to his credit, admitting he and assistant David Weir thought they were the correct tactical alterations to make but equally suggesting they might not have been. 

In the end, yet more dreadful defending saw McHugh nab all
three points and bring a heady Rangers and their support down to earth a
little.

The most worrying aspect last night was how a decent team
putting sustained pressure on a normally resolute rearguard forced the likes of
Ball, Wilson and particularly Kiernan into some awful mistakes – mistakes which
cost them dear.

While Rangers should still win the league, this was a
valuable lesson that they still have work to do to attain consistency and a
competitive quality ready for the Premiership. The defence remains a little
worrying when better teams really go for it, and to concede 3 goals in one
night is alarming. The only other side to have managed three against the Ibrox
men this season is of course the impressive St Johnstone.

It is worth reiterating Rangers’ play till around 50 minutes
really was as lush as anything they have managed this season – but as
complacency set in, so did Falkirk, then mistakes.

Last night was a crucial lesson, one to be taken seriously
and learned from.