Just another quiet weekend of supporting Rangers then...

At a time when we thought a quite straightforward match at Ibrox was in the offing, the team failed to deliver that expectation. Beyond the obvious major talking points, there is an underlying concern but also a realisation about the team’s performance.

To understand that we must examine everything that went on before and in some ways it will only confirm the conclusions many have come to already. Twelve wins and one draw is a marvellous start for Michael Beale but he does not have a magic wand.

Before we delve into that, let’s look at the major controversy of the game. With it poised at 1-1, Malik Tillman robbed the Thistle defence to put Rangers ahead, oblivious to the circumstances surrounding him. The Championship club's reaction was over the top, especially as it was the nasty challenge that led to it all, but Beale’s decision to allow an equaliser was one that could have changed everything for him. I’ve seen some say it was weak - it was the exact opposite.

Beale went against the majority of Ibrox who, at the time, were incensed. But he stuck to his principles and protected his player. Fortunately for him, Rangers went on to win the game. As a supporter, I was reassured by not only his words after but also those of Ian McCall. Having listened to both I understood the rationale entirely and given how events transpired - it may turn out to be a stroke of genius.

Beale made the entire incident about him, deflecting away from Tillman and in doing so demonstrated to the whole dressing room that he will do everything to protect them. Surely, in my mind at least, if that doesn’t galvanise the players even further then nothing will. They have a manager who makes demands but in turn will also do everything he can to ensure he has their backs.

Perhaps that is an ultra-positive position and there is no doubt that if it had gone differently and Rangers were out of the cup, my stance, and perhaps even the wider fanbase, may have been a tad different. But Beale got the result and Rangers are through to a quarter-final where a home tie with Raith at Ibrox awaits.

Next up is Livingston away before a little matter of a League Cup final at Hampden. Rangers will have to significantly improve for that one, and quickly.

So here is where we revisit my very first statement and point in this all. Michael Beale is getting the results but the patchy performances, both individually and collectively, continue.

READ MORE: The Rangers European challenge that will soon await Michael Beale

Perhaps, dare I say it, even by his own admission the manager also plays a part. I spoke just a few weeks ago about Tynecastle not becoming an outlier in performance and Rangers following up on that momentum. Two wins on paper look great but in reality, the performance was far from it.

To revisit what we already know even before the change in management, this squad needed fresh reinforcements for the first team. The tendency it has to coast at times has never gone away, it’s simply fighting back from setbacks now and the determination has returned. We have seen it so many times under Beale. In seven of the games he has been in charge Rangers have been required to turn a deficit around. Some players have run their race and others remain not good enough. What Beale must discover who remains in his future plans and what is required after those depart.

As for the manager himself, I asked him that very question. How does he fix those moments and get them to the level he demands? He took responsibility for that upon himself and mentioned realising that perhaps he’s asking a bit too much of certain players. In the cold light of the day, it is apparent that many futures now lie elsewhere and maybe Beale realises that too.

But, to repeat, Beale isn’t a miracle worker even with twelve wins in thirteen games. The players have a responsibility to themselves as well as the club. We have a chance to deliver silverware and have a relatively successful end to the season even without the league trophy. They must ensure their application and desire are on point in every game and not just every other, as is now arguably the case.

If Beale makes it fourteen wins from fifteen games he will be on the way to creating the legacy at Rangers he's long craved. To do that the players must up their levels, he must fix those little issues and everything must come together like it did at Tynecastle. 

Make no mistake, it can. We aren’t as far away as some think and it’s up to the team to prove it. Michael Beale has the managerial potential to lead us where we need to go. The next few weeks will hopefully show that.