At least Rangers created chances against Motherwell and looked more like the 2020/21 vintage for about an hour on Sunday.
Scant consolation I know, as is the extra point gained on Celtic, but, frustration was very much the word of the day.
A sitter missed be Kemar Roofe, a 3 v 1 counter attack butchered by Steven Davis – for once – choosing the wrong pass and playing it too late, and Alfredo Morelos blocking Joe Aribo’s goal bound effort in the 95th minute, which summed up the afternoon perfectly.
Effort and application couldn’t be faulted, possession was dominated and, with 24 attempts on goal, we at least displayed an attacking intent that has been missing for most of the season.
There is, of course, the fact that five of our regular starters; Filip Helander, Ryan Jack, Ryan Kent, Ianis Hagi and Alfredo Morelos were all missing from the starting XI, a couple of seasons ago this sort of injury list would have decimated Steven Gerrard’s squad.
The latter two will be available against Livingston in mid-week but it is the Romanian international’s Covid-19 enforced absence that has been sorely felt, it has highlighted just how involved he is in our attacking play, even if he isn’t the one that plays the killer pass or scores the goal, he’s always involved, linking play or creating space for others.
There will be changes against Livingston, but as their 1-0 win over Celtic showed, they shouldn’t be underestimated – Gerrard should already have learnt that lesson – however, if he has recovered, Hagi should be one of the first names on the team sheet.