So it’s the morning after the afternoon before, and Rangers fans are in a spot of self-reflection. Again.

There’s a tonne of depressing (and occasionally otherwise) titbits to chew through after yesterday’s debacle, but one of the more disquieting to muse on is the tepid form of Joe Aribo.

In December Joe was by a distance the player of the SPL, with electric performances, stunning goals, and dribbles all over the place. He was a player hitting the £35M value (despite the contract) such was his rising prominence, his going to AFCON and his overall worth to Rangers and his country.

There was a tonne of controversy over that indeed, over his availability or otherwise for the Old Firm due to international commitments, and while he was away, he managed an assist.

Rangers were delighted to get him home, albeit at the cost of Nigeria’s exit.

Unfortunately, the Aribo that left never came back and may well still be in Cameroon, because the performance since his return have been a shadow of the sensation that left, and while he hasn’t been ghastly, he’s been distinctly pale compared with the stand out displays of last year.

He just doesn’t look half as energised – his movement is much slower, his aggression much less, and the attacking potency of his game has reduced markedly.

He isn’t exactly hiding, but when Ibrox Noise produced our ratings v Motherwell, one comment ironically pointed out we’d forgotten to include his. This summed up the impression he’d made in a non-descript performance.

Does he need resting?

Truthfully he doesn’t look burnt out. He’s a young man and not exactly exhausted. He just looks like he’s both out of focus and possibly off-form.

Head turned? PL? Maybe – maybe he’s one who wanted a move south in the summer, and the reports from Nigeria claiming talks over a new deal hadn’t gone well were true.

We don’t know.

Also bear in mind this – Joe is a genuinely good lad, one of the good guys, and we absolutely hate criticising him. We have nothing but respect for the guy.

But he’ll know himself he’s not been quite as on his game as he could be.

Players are also allowed to lose form, it’s part of the sport. It’s only the hyper elite that retain form the majority of the time, and even Messi and Ronaldo dip now and then.

Hopefully that is all it is.

Because when Joe isn’t playing, it seems Rangers aren’t either.