Rangers

Nedim Bajrami's 98th-minute penalty salvaged a point for Rangers as they snatched a Scottish Premiership draw in controversial circumstances against Dundee United.

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Rangers head coach Danny Rohl: "We are disappointed because it's just one point. We put everything on the pitch until the end, that's why we deserve a point.

"When I see how many chances we create, we should win this game. If we can bring this together in the future with a clean sheet, we win games.

"We are disappointed, but I see a step forward today from my group. We had more tempo, better decision-making, our body shape between the lines. We sped up our games in the right moment.

"I'm not happy because you have to win, there's no question.

"We have to be ruthless in both boxes. I am convinced that more goals will come. At the moment it is hard work.

"Of course, the last two results are not what we want. They are two different results. The weekend [at home to Falkirk] was a boring draw, today it was an entertaining draw, but for both you get just one point.

"It's now important to come back and win such games, with so many chances.

"If we can bring the performance against the ball in the Falkirk game and the performance today with the ball in one game, then the opportunity is big to win the next game."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez admits the speed of his rise in the game gives him pause for thought, given he's gone from the third tier of English football to the Europa League in the blink of an eye.

He's also relishing the chance to show what he can do, having struggled for game time under previous boss Russell Martin.

The Londoner is now feeling more at home with the guidance of new head coach Danny Rohl and has started the club's last three games in a row, partly due to injuries to fellow centre-halves Derek Cornelius and John Souttar.

Despite some mixed reviews about his pairing with Nasser Djiga at the back, the 24-year-old is pretty happy with the impact he's had.

"I would say it's been a bit positive," he said.

"Obviously there's still improvements you can make and there are going to be improvements but I'd say I've been positive so far. "

"To be fair, playing in the Europa League, it was amazing. A few years ago I started off in college, then signed for Gillingham, did two years there. Then didn't have a club for a bit through Covid, went into a non-league team. So look, I couldn't be more grateful.

"I ended up at Peterborough, I was there for four years and I'm now playing in the Europa League. There's nothing more I can ask for.

"I feel like I've been set back so many times in my career that I don't think anything can set me back again. I feel like I'll just keep going, keep fighting and keep showing the world what I can do."

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Having watched Rangers in the flesh twice in the last week, I am struggling to see significant improvements from what I saw earlier in the season under Russell Martin.

Other than looking a little less open and vulnerable at the back, the change of manager has failed to bring about a noticeable uptick in performances, with a lack of creativity and goal-threat still a serious issue.

Few Rangers supporters will be looking at Wednesday night's trip to Tannadice to take on a faltering Dundee United side with any great degree of optimism after an especially uninspiring display against Falkirk.

Some observers suggest Danny Rohl is limited in what he can change given the players at his disposal, but while there may be some merit to that argument, there are some areas where he could get more out of the current squad.

The most glaringly obvious one revolves round his use of Djeidi Gassama who, for me, has been Rangers' most dangerous player this season.

The young Frenchman was at his best earlier in the season cutting in off the left to create and score goals yet this week he was used on the right flank against Braga, where he is clearly less effective, and then brought on as a second-half substitute on Sunday.

Now I appreciate Rohl knows his strengths a lot better than I do and maybe his form has dipped of late, but if you play your best players in their best position, you surely give yourself a better chance of success.

Similarly, the right-footed Max Aarons has been preferred at left-back in the last couple of games to Jayden Meghoma and the effect of that has been to stymie Rangers' ability to progress the ball quickly down the left as Aarons naturally wants to come infield on his stronger foot.

Nedim Bajrami was probably Rangers' best player against Falkirk (a low bar admittedly) and should perhaps be tried in the number 10 role, with Thelo Aasgaard yet to convince fans of his worth.

The right wing continues to be an area where Rangers struggle. The decision not to bring in Vaclav Cerny on a permanent deal, given the other recruitment done in the summer, continues to baffle me. Findlay Curtis, despite also preferring the left, would be worth a try there.

The conundrum of who should lead the line remains. Bojan Miovski should be the obvious choice but looks a shadow of the player who previously graced the league, though a dearth of decent service hasn't helped, while Danilo needs a partner up there and Youssef Chermiti continues to struggle.

As mentioned previously, January is going to be massive for Rohl and Rangers but he needs to get more from the current squad in the interim.

Nicolas Raskin's Rangers contract runs until the summer of 2028, a year longer than widely reported when the Belgium midfielder signed in January 2023. (Rangers Review), external

Rangers plan to appoint a new chief executive first before agreeing a director of football deal. (Football Insider), external

The Scottish FA is exploring plans to turn Lesser Hampden into a shared stadium for Celtic, Rangers and Glasgow City's women's teams, creating a hub to accelerate the growth of the game ahead of Scotland co-hosting the 2035 Women's World Cup. (The National), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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• Dundee United are winless in their last 11 league meetings with Rangers (D3 L8) since a 1-0 victory in August 2021.

• Rangers have won each of their last three league visits to Dundee United, last winning more in a row in August 2003 (run of five).

• Dundee United have kept just one clean sheet in their last nine home league games (W3 D1 L5), doing so in a 2-0 win over Aberdeen in September.

• Rangers remain unbeaten in their last 17 away league games (W8 D9), their longest run since May 2021, when they went 21 without losing on the road – a run which was ended by Dundee United in August 2021.

• Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin remains winless in 16 Scottish Premiership games against Rangers as a manager (D2 L14) – the only side he has faced more than twice in the competition without yet winning.

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Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin expects to have an unchanged squad available, with goalkeeper Yevhen Kucherenko (calf) and Isaac Pappoe (knee) still out.

Rangers winger Oliver Antman is out for eight weeks with an abductor problem. Joe Rothwell returns while Youssef Chermiti will be assessed.

Rangers remain without John Souttar and Derek Cornelius with muscle injuries but Mikey Moore (muscle), Rabbi Matondo (knee) and Kieran Dowell (foot) are closing in on comebacks.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl says he's relishing the extra responsibility of reshaping the squad this January, when he's looking for "quality over quantity" and more players who know "what it means" to represent the Ibrox club.

The clear implication is those kind of players are in short supply in Rohl's squad at the moment, meaning he's in regular contact with chairman Andrew Cavenagh to identify the correct "profile" of player for what he hopes will be a busy start to the new year in the transfer market.

His task has been made clearer by the injury-enforced absences of Derek Cornelius, John Souttar and now Oliver Antman, as well as the imminent departure to the Africa Cup of Nations of Nasser Djiga and Mohamed Diomande.

"In general, I'm in conversation with Andrew nearly every two or three days. I think this is crucial," said Rohl.

"He'll also be here in the next couple of days, so we will have meetings. I give my feedback every matchday back to him.

"What I see, it's not just about positions. What's important for us as a group is which profiles we need: from the skills, from the tools, from a specialist in some areas. I think this is crucial.

"It's crucial to prepare well for this window. Hopefully the market then gives us the opportunities to do what we want. And the earlier the better.

"We need players to have a natural aggression against the ball. This is crucial for me. We need players to also understand what it means to play for Rangers.

"This is what I feel I've learned these last weeks, step by step: which players can handle this environment, which players have to improve. I try to help them, give them a positive mindset. But it's about confidence, and confidence is important."

With Rangers having sacked chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell last week, Rohl is comfortable to take on extra responsibility in tandem with his chairman for what could be a season-defining period for the club as they try to chase down the nine-point gap to Premiership leaders Hearts and seven-point deficit to city rivals Celtic.

"Andrew is very clear, I think we are both very clear, on what we want to do," he added. "We see what we have to do and now it's about which opportunities we will get in the market and of course we have to make the right decisions. I think this is crucial.

"There's a big responsibility on both of us, for the club. I have a big responsibility now after we lost Kevin and Patrick. I think this gives me more and more influence and hopefully we make a good step forward. The key is we are on one page."

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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To be fair to Rangers, they remain unbeaten in 17 away league games stretching into the end of last season as they travel to face Dundee United on Wednesday night.

However, Sunday's goalless draw at home to Falkirk highlighted that plenty of work is still to be done for the Ibrox side since Russell Martin was replaced with Danny Rohl as head coach.

It was a 1-1 draw away to the Bairns in October that put paid to Martin's short reign and that was followed by a 2-2 draw with United at Ibrox while managerless Rangers decided who should be his successor.

Rohl had won four Premiership games in a row until the Bairns came calling, but overall they have won just two of their past six outings as the German has been hampered by the same shortcomings in his squad as his predecessor.

Rangers have still only suffered one league defeat all season, but it is draws that are hampering them and they cannot afford to fall more than the seven points they are behind Celtic and nine off Hearts.

After their own 1-1 draw away to Kilmarnock on Saturday, United have themselves now shared the points on six of their 13 Premiership outings, including that visit to Ibrox.

However, since then, Jim Goodwin's eighth-placed side have won once - their only victory in eight outings - and have gone four games without one.

Rangers are unbeaten in 11 meetings with United since a 1-0 defeat at Tannadice in August 2021.

The Ibrox side, though, are struggling to score goals and Goodwin will hope that gives his team a chance of improving on just one clean sheet in their past seven home games.

Read all the midweek Premiership picks

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Danny Rohl has been speaking to the media before Rangers visit Dundee United in the Premiership on Wednesday night.

Here are the key points from the Ibrox boss:

• Rangers been hit with another injury blow with winger Oliver Antman out for the next two months with a leg injury.

• Rohl says he's very surprised at the extent of the adductor injury as the winger's substitution at the weekend was tactical rather than enforced.

• Antman joins defenders Derek Cornelius and John Souttar on the sidelines, with Rohl expecting to lose Mohamed Diomande and Nasser Djiga to the Africa Cup of Nations this month.

• It means the January transfer window will be crucial to Rangers' hopes of success this season, with the German head coach adding he's in regular dialogue with chairman Andrew Cavenagh to target "quality over quantity" and to identify the correct profile of player who "knows what it takes to play for Rangers".

• Rohl says the sackings of Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart puts "a big responsibility" on him over transfers, adding: "I think this gives me more and more influence in this part and hopefully we make a good step forward. The key is that we are on one page."

• Rohl adds: "It's crucial to prepare this window well and then hopefully the market gives us also the opportunities to do what we want. Earlier is better."

• He is seeking "the right players" such as those who "can accelerate our game".

• Rohl feels there shouldn't be too much of an overreaction to the goalless draw with Falkirk at the weekend, pointing out he's taken 13 points from 15 and that if the same return comes from the next five matches, Rangers should still be very much in contention.

• He says Rangers have improved defensively - "a good step forward" - and now the focus is on creating more opportunities and sharpening up in attack.

• On midfielder Lyall Cameron, who has played just 10 minutes since Rohl took charge, the German says: "Lyall has been patient, he needs to be ready when he gets that call to come in and seize his opportunity."

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

Last week was a missed opportunity to get three points in the Europa League and narrow the gap on Hearts.

Instead, it gave us a real look, as if it was needed, at the mess Kevin Thelwell and co have left in terms of our squad.

Against Braga we were undone by our own defensive error, yet again. And the Falkirk game was so poor.

We finished that match with an xG of 2.0, yet at the game, it felt like Scott Bain was never in any danger of conceding and Falkirk were completely comfortable.

We have a real creativity problem, and I look back at a comment Nico Raskin made about the manager a few weeks ago. He mentioned Danny Rohl allowed them to play and it wasn't as strict or rigid with the ball, essentially meaning he has freed them up to go and express themselves.

We saw none of that on Sunday and again the likes of Thelo Aasgaard and Oliver Atman should be offering much more than they do. They are finding being a Rangers player very tough, and currently are like the proverbial fish out of water.

As for Bojan Miovski, I have no idea what to make of him in a Rangers shirt. He's not a hold-up striker, he's better running in behind and playing on the shoulder.

However, not one of our midfielders are willing to try to find him. Much like Danilo and Youssef Chermiti he's been a disappointment so far.

There is no point banging on about the recruitment; we know errors have been made but we need to struggle through to January and the summer and see what happens at those junctures.

I would like to see Lyall Cameron and Findlay Curtis get some game-time against Dundee United tomorrow and Kilmarnock on Saturday, but whatever transpires we need to be much more of an attacking threat if we are to have any chance of winning.

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Rangers are in danger of losing Bailey Rice for free, with Aston Villa and Sunderland tracking the 19-year-old midfielder's progress, while West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City are preparing pre-contract offers for him in January amid no indication that the Ibrox club are discussing a new contract. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Meanwhile, Rangers are considering recalling Oscar Cortes from his loan at Sporting Gijon in January because of his lack of game time, according to La Voz de Asturias, but the 21-year-old winger would be found another club as he does not figure in head coach Danny Rohl's plans. (Glasgow Times), external

Former Rangers captain Richard Gough has revealed he had an offer to assist the current struggling players turned out by the club and insists they need an "intervention" amid a dismal campaign. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Ex-Rangers forward Greg Stewart is keeping an open mind on his career plan after signing until January for Cove Rangers after a deal with Indian club Mohun Bagan fell through before helping Paul Hartley's League 1 side to a surprise win over St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup. (Courier - subscription required), external

Former Aberdeen, Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness says he was asked "quite a long time ago" to do the same job at Rangers but turned it down. (Football Insider), external

Celtic have earned £250m more than Rangers over the past 10 years. (Football Insider), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip