Rangers dropped points for the first time in 16 games at the weekend and Alan Hutton reckons he knows why there may have been a dip in the usual standards.
Speaking to Football Insider, the former Gers right-back feels that we have made a rod for our own backs by creating such a commanding lead, one that sees us sit 20 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
So what has Hutton said?
When asked if he feels that complacency and lack of focus is now our biggest enemy, he said:
“I think it’s part of it. I mean, obviously, they are so far in front at the moment that the end goal is to life a trophy but they need to be motivated.
“It’s going to be difficult from now to the end of the season, obviously there’s teams fighting for a lot as well as Rangers fighting for the title.
“I think you have to give a lot of credit to Motherwell, I thought the way they set up under the new manager, Graham Alexander, was brilliant.
“They really caused Rangers problems playing with a front three and it’s problems that Rangers haven’t really come up against recently in the league, giving the full-backs a problem, Tavernier and Barisic, they had to defend more.
“I think a lot of credit goes to Motherwell and the way they played, even though Rangers were poor, especially in the first half.”
So is Hutton correct?
Absolutely, the hard work has only begun. Rangers lead at the top is down to the consistency that Steven Gerrard has been able to get out of his squad, it is now about completing the task and getting the job done – anyway possible.
Is complacency our biggest enemy?
Yes
No
Against Motherwell, we just didn’t start in the first half and ultimately left ourselves with too much to do, hindsight is a wonderful thing but if we had started the same way in which we had finished, few would argue that the three points would be heading back to Ibrox.
That we had an off day and should still have won paints a picture in itself, however, as Hutton says Rangers have to be “motivated” and other teams – like Motherwell – are fighting for survival or for European places, they won’t just lie down and let us roll over the top of them, one thing we have done well this season is recover from set backs and I’d expect us to take it out on Ross County when they come to Ibrox at the weekend.