Dismal Gerrard and Rangers got no more than they deserved

For all the praise we’ve rightly lauded Steven Gerrard with these past few months, this afternoon his Rangers side and his management was brought back to earth with a crumpling bang as some reality hit home with a Livi side who 100% completely deserved their three points as manager Gary Holt completely outfoxed fellow rookie Gerrard.

Sure, Holt had a year at Falkirk, but then Gerrard had a year with Liverpool youth, and we can’t say a season at the Falkirk Stadium is much better prep for the SPL.

Certainly not to the extent by which Holt’s men completely suffocated Gerrard’s and looked every inch the better team.

Stevie had no plan today, and was left helpless to alter the proceedings, beyond bringing the admittedly impressive Ryan Kent on in the disappointing Lassana Coulibaly’s place, and such an outcome today rings echoes of how Dumbarton in 2015 figured Mark Warburton out before Tommy Wright’s St Johnstone came to Ibrox and destroyed us.

We worry teams are onto Gerrard already, certainly in the SPL – his success has definitely been in cup competitions so far – outstanding in the UEL, and impressive in the Betfred, in the SPL he’s been infinitely less so and away from home it’s been palpably diabolical.

While the display in Aberdeen was good, it’s been a steady decline since then, and today’s meek offering against a brilliant Livi was symptomatic of a truly poor start.

It’s worth noting that none of the flops who preceded Stevie did this badly – Pedro, Warburton, even Murty – they all struggled at Ibrox, yes, but they got results on their travels. Gerrard has beaten some weak teams (Dundee, St Johnstone and St Mirren) at Ibrox in the league and been well beaten away.

To say there is much work to be done is an understatement and once again this Rangers rollercoaster defies belief.

One minute you’re up, the next you’re right back down again.