Rangers made it four league wins on the bounce under Danny Röhl, but this was a slog of an afternoon rather than a statement performance. Against a Livingston side fighting for every loose ball, the Light Blues never found their rhythm and too many players dropped below the expected standard. It was one of those days when the quality was lacking all over the park, and in truth, Rangers were fortunate that three points were all that mattered.
Fast Start, Early Warning Signs
Tavernier’s early corner and Fernandez’s header should have set the tone for a comfortable afternoon, but instead it papered over what was a flat start from Rangers. Livingston’s equaliser came from a simple long ball that the defence completely misjudged, and Ibrox felt the life drain out of it. One hopeful punt forward and Rangers were undone, and it summed up a first half where concentration and intensity were nowhere near the required levels.
Control without End Product
Rangers had most of the ball but did painfully little with it. The tempo was slow, the press was inconsistent, and Livingston settled into a comfortable defensive block that Rangers never really disrupted. Passing was safe rather than sharp, and the crowd grew restless as attack after attack fizzled out without any real threat. By half time it felt like a match drifting rather than one being grabbed by the scruff of the neck.
Miovski Sparks Life into the Game
Röhl made the call at the break, introducing Bojan Miovski for Thelo Aasgaard. It was the right decision. The striker brought energy and intelligent movement, immediately getting on the end of a Tav cross and later linking beautifully with Djeidi Gassama.
Gassama himself was unlucky not to score with a curling effort that had the whole stadium off their seats. Moments earlier, Butland had to bail us out with a brilliant stop from Yengi, a reminder that the job was far from done.
Diomande Put in a Good Performance
Diomande put in a good performance in midfield, showing composure and energy at key moments, and capped it off by arriving in the right area to score the winner. Then came the breakthrough Rangers desperately needed, and it was one of the key men stepping up when it mattered. Tav floated a lovely ball over the top, Miovski flicked it cleverly into space, and Mohamed Diomande arrived to tap into an empty net.
Ibrox erupted, but the moment was instantly dampened as the linesman raised his flag on what was clearly a razor tight decision. It robbed the fans of the chance to properly celebrate the goal in real time, and this is exactly the kind of incident that makes so many feel VAR and early flags have taken some of the joy out of football. The VAR check dragged on far too long for our liking, and when the goal was finally confirmed the relief was huge. That is Diomande’s first of the season, and hopefully the spark he needs to add end product to his already impressive midfield work rate.
Attacking Concerns
Thelo Aasgaard failed to impact the game, lacking energy and urgency. One moment summed it up, he took a decent touch on the edge of the box, then after a slightly heavy follow up touch allowed the defender in, he simply let the ball run out for a goal kick rather than battling to win it back. Fans expect far more, and if things do not turn soon he risks losing the support.
Danilo again showed he cannot operate effectively as a lone striker, and the switch to bring Miovski on helped. While Miovski was not outstanding, his work rate lifted the front line, he created space, and Danilo benefited from being freed up.
Oliver Antman showed small flashes of confidence early on, but he still looks like a player recovering from the damage done under the Russell Martin era. He faded badly as the game went on.
Gassama remained Rangers’ main threat but too often overplayed his runs, turning back into trouble instead of making the simple choice.
Defensive Issues
At the back, Fernandez was dominant in the air, scoring a brilliant opener and continuing to win key duels as Livi pressed. However, Djiga remains a concern, looking short of awareness and struggling under the pressure of playing for Rangers.
Jack Butland produced the moment of the match with a crucial one on one save that kept Rangers alive.
There was also controversy, Fernandez handled a shot in the box and while initial claims suggested it hit his leg first, the reverse angle shows otherwise. On another day a penalty is given, and Rangers would rightly have been furious if this was not awarded at the other end. VAR’s silence was baffling, but on this occasion the call went in Rangers’ favour.
Youth, Grit, and Seeing It Out
Eight minutes of added time followed due to an earlier head knock, and Röhl turned to Connor Barron and Lyall Cameron to help see the job out. Both youngsters brought energy and purpose, and if the new signings continue to struggle for intensity, the manager may need to lean on players like Barron and Cameron more often. Livingston had one more sight of goal, Robbie Muirhead blasting over, but Rangers held firm to walk away with all three points.
Big Picture: Röhl’s Momentum Keeps Building
Four wins on the spin, injuries stacking up, and still the team finds a way. Röhl has sharpened the pressing, lifted the tempo, and injected a sense of purpose that has been missing. Yes, there are still defensive lapses to iron out and the squad needs reinforcements in January, but the direction of travel feels right.
The international break arrives at an annoying time, just when momentum is building, but it also gives the gaffer a chance to get players back fit and tighten the system even further.
Rangers are moving in the right direction again, and Ibrox can feel it.
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