Hibs have “earned” European Shootout – Gray
Hibs boss David Gray hailed his side’s achievement in overcoming KF Shkëndija in European qualifying, moving them a step closer to potentially securing group-stage European football for the first time in the club’s history. Thursday’s 0-0 draw was far from a classic, but a crucial 2-1 victory at Easter Road in the first leg, sealed by Warren O’Hora’s dramatic 90th-minute winner, proved enough to set up a play-off tie against Belgian side Gent. Speaking at full time, Gray was quick to praise his team’s resilience. “Don’t underestimate how big an achievement that is against a really good side. “It wasn’t a brilliant game, but bodies on the line and our players stepped up. A really positive win, especially off the back of Sunday. “We found a way to get through and I’m delighted for the players. They thoroughly deserve it. “In the first half there wasn’t much in it. It was a flat game. Our shape was good and we restricted them to very little. “Over the course of the two legs, I don’t think anyone could say we don’t deserve to go through. “The players have earned the right to have another go at the play-offs. “You see the strength of the squad with the players coming off the bench. We’ve had a brilliant start to the season. “The important thing now is to recover the players, cool them down, and they can be proud of what they’ve achieved.” Hibs host Partick Thistle in the second round of the League Cup before welcoming Gent to Easter Road for the first leg of their play-off tie next Thursday.
Rangers Are Searching for Answers: What Is Going Wrong for Derek McInnes?
Derek McInnes arrived at Rangers with a clear objective: restore consistency, raise standards and turn a squad that finished third last season into one capable of challenging for major honours. Four competitive games into his Rangers reign, the warning signs are already there. Thursday night’s 1-1 draw with Jagiellonia Bialystok, which saw Rangers eliminated from the Europa League 3-2 on aggregate, was another frustrating night for a club that simply cannot afford to be out of European contention at this stage of the season. The result means Rangers now drop into the Conference League qualifying play-offs against Jablonec. More importantly, though, the performance raised questions about whether McInnes has inherited deeper problems than initially expected. A familiar Rangers problem The most concerning aspect is not simply the result. It is the lack of a complete performance. McInnes admitted afterwards that Rangers were good in spells but failed to maintain that level across 90 minutes. That has quickly become a theme. Rangers can look dangerous, energetic and capable of dominating an opponent for periods, before suddenly losing control of the match. Against Jagiellonia, that happened after half-time. Rangers had shown enough in the first half to suggest they could find the goal needed to progress. Instead, the performance deteriorated and the visitors grew into the game. For a Rangers side playing at Ibrox, that is a major concern. Did McInnes get the second half wrong? One of the biggest talking points was McInnes’ decision to change formation. The Rangers manager replaced Thelo Aasgaard with Ross McCrorie and moved from three at the back to a back four. The intention was understandable. McInnes wanted his wide players higher up the pitch and believed Rangers needed greater attacking involvement. But the change appeared to have the opposite effect. Rangers lost control of midfield and struggled to build the same momentum they had created before the break. That raises an important question. Was the problem the players, the tactics, or both? McInnes will need to find that answer quickly. Because if Rangers are going to challenge Celtic domestically and make progress in Europe, they cannot afford to repeatedly lose control of matches they should be winning. The Shankland problem Lawrence Shankland was one of the most anticipated arrivals of the summer. His relationship with McInnes at Hearts last season was one of the reasons Rangers supporters were excited about the move. But wearing the Rangers shirt brings an entirely different level of expectation. Every missed chance, poor touch and misplaced pass is magnified. Shankland has also taken on the captaincy, adding another layer of responsibility. He has the quality to succeed at Rangers, but confidence will be crucial. At the moment, Rangers need their main striker to become a focal point rather than another player caught up in the uncertainty surrounding the team. The squad still looks unfinished Perhaps the biggest issue is recruitment. McInnes has already brought in nine players, yet he openly admits that Rangers still require more quality. That is a remarkable admission considering how much work has already gone into rebuilding the squad. The long-term injury to Youssef Chermiti has made the situation even more complicated. Rangers rejected a significant offer for Chermiti before discovering they would potentially lose his services for a considerable period. That leaves another hole to fill at exactly the wrong time. There are also concerns across the defence and in wide areas. Rangers may have signed plenty of players, but quantity is not necessarily the same as quality. The challenge now is finding players capable of immediately improving the starting XI. Where is the leadership? This could be the biggest issue of all. Rangers are a club where pressure comes with the territory. Players are expected to perform in front of more than 50,000 supporters, and mistakes are analysed relentlessly. That requires strong personalities. The departure of James Tavernier has removed a player who, whatever his shortcomings, was accustomed to playing under that pressure. Andy Halliday’s suggestion that Rangers should consider bringing Tavernier back might sound controversial, but it highlights a genuine issue. Who is going to take responsibility when things go wrong? Who demands the ball? Who calms the team down? Who drives Rangers forward when the opposition starts to gain control? At the moment, those questions remain unanswered. Is McInnes already under pressure? It would be premature to suggest Rangers should be considering another managerial change. But it would also be wrong to pretend the start has been good enough. McInnes inherited a club desperate for improvement after last season’s disappointment. He knew the expectations. He knew the scrutiny. And he knew that patience at Rangers is rarely unlimited. The difference between McInnes and Russell Martin is that Rangers supporters have already seen this movie before. A poor start last season developed into something much worse, eventually resulting in Martin losing his job. McInnes has to ensure history does not repeat itself. The good news for Rangers There is still plenty of time to change the narrative. The transfer window remains open. New signings can alter the balance of the squad. Injured players will eventually return. And Rangers are still expected to be one of the strongest teams in Scotland. The Conference League route also gives them another opportunity to build momentum in Europe. But the margin for error is becoming smaller. The performances need to improve quickly, because Rangers cannot spend the entire season waiting for the team to eventually click. The SNN Sports verdict McInnes does not have a Rangers problem that one signing will necessarily fix. He has a team that appears short of confidence, leadership, balance and consistency. The manager deserves time to build his squad, but Rangers also need immediate results. That is the contradiction facing McInnes. He has been brought in to rebuild Rangers, but he is rebuilding while being judged against the expectation of winning now. Thursday night was not simply a European exit. It was another reminder that Rangers still have a considerable amount