NafisaAngry Derek McInnes fires back at annoying Rangers fans saying his half-time tactical change was shambolic and cost the team
Derek McInnes has found himself at the centre of another furious Rangers debate after the Ibrox side’s humiliating Europa League exit to Jagiellonia Bialystok.
The Rangers boss was already under pressure after failing to win any of his first three competitive matches, but Thursday night’s disappointment has taken the scrutiny to another level.
Rangers had given themselves a genuine opportunity to rescue the tie after losing 2-1 in Poland.
With home advantage behind them, Lawrence Shankland’s early penalty appeared to give the Light Blues exactly what they needed.
The game was level on aggregate.
The atmosphere inside Ibrox was beginning to build.
And Rangers had a full second half ahead of them to find the decisive goal.
Instead, the momentum disappeared.
Jagiellonia eventually equalised through Nik Prelec, Rangers failed to respond and the Polish side progressed 3-2 on aggregate.
The reaction from the stands was emphatic, with boos greeting the final whistle.
But while McInnes admitted his team had failed to produce the required performance, one decision in particular has left supporters scratching their heads.
McInnes makes controversial half-time change
Rangers had played the opening 45 minutes using a back three, with Djeidi Gassama and Daisuke Yokota effectively operating as wing-backs.
It was far from perfect, but McInnes felt the approach had created enough attacking opportunities to justify the system.
In fact, the Rangers manager believed his team deserved to go into the interval ahead.
“I thought we were good value for going in 1-0 at half-time.”
Yet despite that, McInnes changed the system immediately.
Thelo Aasgaard was withdrawn and Ross McCrorie was introduced, with Rangers moving to a back four.
That tactical alteration completely changed the complexion of the match.
And it was not for the better.
Rangers became less threatening, while Jagiellonia appeared increasingly comfortable as the second half progressed.
Why McInnes took Aasgaard off
McInnes explained that Aasgaard was removed because he felt the midfielder had not become sufficiently involved in the game.
“He was not getting involved enough.”
It was a decision that has already become a major talking point among Rangers supporters.
The problem is that Rangers had looked more dangerous before the change.
The team had managed to create pressure, attack the penalty area and eventually win the spot-kick that Shankland converted.
Once the shape was altered, much of that attacking momentum vanished.
And when Jagiellonia eventually scored, Rangers suddenly found themselves chasing the tie with a completely different-looking side.
McInnes admits Rangers were far too open
Interestingly, the Rangers boss acknowledged that his original system had left the team exposed at times.
“I felt we had to make the game open, but it was a bit too open in the first half at times.”
He specifically pointed towards Gassama and Yokota being asked to operate as wing-backs and the demands that placed on them.
However, he also admitted that the approach had produced results.
“But I thought it paid dividends in terms of penalty box action and getting the goal.”
That admission makes the half-time switch even more intriguing.
Rangers had a system that was creating attacking opportunities and had already produced the goal required to level the aggregate score.
Yet McInnes decided to change it.
And after the switch, Rangers never looked quite the same.
Then came the goal that ended Rangers’ European hopes
The decisive moment arrived after 65 minutes.
Jagiellonia moved forward quickly and Rangers failed to stop the attack before the ball was delivered towards the far post.
Nik Prelec rose to head home.
The goal immediately put the visitors back in front on aggregate.
McInnes was furious with the way Rangers defended the situation.
“The first forward pass they play is in the bottom left hand corner in front of the Copland Road (Stand) and for it to end up them scoring in the top right hand corner in front of the Broomloan (Stand) is just madness.”
The Rangers manager was particularly frustrated that his players failed to stop the attack before it reached the dangerous area.
“It is inexplicable how we won’t don’t make a foul or don’t stop the flow of the attack or don’t sanitise that whole situation.”
And then came perhaps his most revealing criticism.
“It is not lack of bodies. It is lack of intelligence. Just make a foul and stop the attack.”
Rangers lost their heads after the equaliser
Once Prelec scored, McInnes felt his players’ confidence disappeared.
The manager admitted that Rangers became increasingly desperate as the minutes passed.
“Once they equalised, it was just so difficult. The players lost more confidence and the situation becomes a bit desperate. I just thought we lost all composure.”
Rangers threw everything they could at the visitors.
Even Manny Fernandez was pushed further forward as McInnes searched for the goal that would have forced extra time.
But nothing worked.
“We huffed and puffed. Even when we threw (Manny) Fernandez up the pitch, we still don’t make enough good decisions and don’t play the ball up to him.”
That was ultimately the story of the night.
Rangers needed quality and composure.
Instead, they produced desperation.
McInnes accepts Rangers are nowhere near where they need to be
The Rangers manager did at least acknowledge that the performance was not good enough.
He admitted that his team had once again failed to produce a convincing 90-minute display.
“Once again, it was not a 90-minute performance.”
That has now become an uncomfortable theme during the opening weeks of his tenure.
McInnes added:
“In the four games we have played there have been some good moments, but it’s not been good enough. There’s not been a strong enough 90-minute performance.”
That is particularly worrying because Rangers have already played four competitive matches under their new manager without winning one.
And now the European campaign has taken another serious blow.
St Mirren clash suddenly becomes massive
Rangers will now drop into the Europa Conference League qualifying play-off, but there is little time for McInnes to dwell on the disappointment.
St Mirren visit Ibrox on Sunday in the Premier Sports Cup.
After Thursday’s elimination, that match has suddenly become significantly more important.
McInnes knows Rangers need a response.
Fast.
“We have to get things moving the right way quickly, there is no two ways about it.”
And he was blunt about what he believes should have happened against Jagiellonia.
“We should be winning this game.”
The Rangers boss acknowledged that Jagiellonia are a well-coached side with good players, but insisted that Rangers should have been capable of eliminating them.
“Rangers at their best should be winning this tie. We have got work to do.”
That work begins immediately.
But after the controversial half-time tactical switch appeared to coincide with Rangers’ collapse, McInnes will know that the questions coming his way will not only be about his players.
They will also be about his decisions.
Nafisa
