Summer signing is in major danger of being forgotten

A number of key changes in the personnel yesterday stood out a mile, and we’ll cover them all today, but one of the most interesting ones was the complete ditching of Kyle Lafferty from the match day squad amidst signs that his second spell at Ibrox is becoming a totally busted flush.

It started not badly – two goals v Motherwell in his full starting debut (he’d had a colourful cameo a week earlier as a sub v FC Ufa) showed signs of the old Kyle and the one we’d similarly signed from Hearts, but despite that huge goal in Spain, Lafferty dramatically faded from the front lines and has had to be content with being a substitute or less.

In many senses it’s not his fault – we play Morelos up top and that’s our system – but when Stevie signed Defoe, the talk was about a pairing – the manager has shown no interest in that for Lafferty with the Colombian.

He also didn’t help himself with an interview in which he admitted he didn’t mind if he didn’t play, as long as we won. It was a really good ‘team player’ comment to make, but his lack of assertion of demands that he play did suggest he would end up being relegated to the bench near-permanently.

And that’s the way it’s panned out.

In truth he’s not shown much consistency or form when he has played, and while mostly showing hard work and effort, has occasionally let himself down with a disinterested and vacant expression.

We also know the legend of his high-maintenance persona, and how much work he is to others – he’s not a bad guy by any means but his baggage does go everywhere with him and it seems it’s followed him to Ibrox.

Does he have a future with Rangers? As far as we can tell he’s happy to be here and play whatever role the manager has for him. He’s not pestering him to play Connor Goldson style and just gets on with his status at the club.

We just don’t think he has much of one now.