In a title race this tight, it could be won by a nose. That gap could be as slim as the two points dropped by Rangers against Hibernian.
Danny Rohl's side lost ground after only being able to muster up a 0-0 draw at Easter Road.
The visitors were aiming to make it seven league wins on the spin, but a dearth of creativity was again their downfall as they struggled to make an impact on the contest.
David Gray may well feel as though his side should have had more, but it was an afternoon that fell flat.
Hibs can’t punish lacklustre Gers
It’s been two decades since Hibs last defeated Rangers at Easter Road in a top-flight clash. They won’t get many better opportunities to end that record than they had on Sunday.
With better finishing, they should have been out of sight by the break, as they were met with a toothless Rangers team who looked spent from the first whistle.
The lack of chances will be a worry for Rohl who at least has 24 hours to try and remedy the situation in the transfer window. On the day, Hibs' xG of 1.88 was well over double Rangers' 0.53. The biggest issue to date under Rohl, creating chances in open play, came back to bite the visitors badly.
Rangers fail to perform in the capital
Rohl made five changes from Thursday night’s loss in the Estadio do Dragao. Dujon Sterling, John Souttar, Tochi Chukwuani, Thelo Aasgaard, and Andreas Skov Olsen were drafted in to, what looked like on paper at least, the strongest XI that the German manager could field.
Jayden Meghoma was finding joy behind Rocky Bushiri and Kanayo Megwa in the opening exchanges and may have carved out an opening after twelve minutes had he delivered a cross first time, rather than opting for a second touch, which allowed the home defence to reset.
How Rangers didn’t find themselves behind at the break is a mystery. The opening half of football happened to Rangers, without the visitors taking much active part in it, aside from Jack Butland between the sticks.
Djeidi Gassma was given a further 10 minutes into the second half before he was replaced by Mikey Moore, with Rohl looking for a shot of adrenaline into his barely beating side.
The 18-year-old spoke after the game in Porto about being the man for the big moments and thought he had provided one when he hit the back of the net with 13 minutes remaining. Before he could even break into a celebration, though, the offside flag ruled it out, a decision which was ratified by VAR.
Hibs have an obvious Bowie shaped hole
There is now a huge Kieron Bowie-shaped hole to fill at the sharp end of the Hibs team, and time will tell if they can replace not only his goals but also his physicality and presence with the hefty figure they banked from Hellas Verona 18-months on from his arrival from Fulham.
Dane Scarlett's arrival on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, certainly caught the attention of more than a few, and David Gray will be hoping he can use a spell in the capital to kick-start his career. A young striker arriving from a London club and using Easter Road as a springboard, sound familiar? It certainly worked for Bowie.
The home crowd didn't have to wait long to see one of their new arrivals, although it wasn’t under the circumstances they would've perhaps liked. Miguel Chaiwa was forced off after ten minutes, replaced by Coventry loanee Kai Andrews.
Joe Newell saw his header from the penalty spot drift wide just before the half-hour mark, as chances remained few and far between in the capital. Butland was forced into a save from Elie Youan minutes later. Andrews did well to create space on the edge of the area, before finding his teammate, who bent an effort towards the top corner, which was well palmed away.
Butland again bailed his side out five minutes before the break when he denied Boyle when the Australian international found himself one-on-one with the stopper. Youan then failed to hit the target with a free header, as the home crowd grew frustrated watching another glaring chance passed up.
Owen Elding and Scarlett made second-half debuts, but it was a case of opportunities missed for the home side.
Striker solution staring Rangers in the face?
It has been a plus point of Rohl's tenure so far that he has made Rangers so dangerous from set-pieces; however, for this side to achieve real success, it can’t be their only threat.
Youssef Chermiti has a knack for being able to tackle well and use his strength to bring others into the game, but he lacks that ingrained instinct all great finishers have.
Links with Hansa Rostock’s Ryan Naderi, amongst others, are there for a reason, as most watching can see that Rangers look blunt in the final third. Creativity from midfield is indeed an issue, and one that will take time to resolve, but when the opportunity to spin his man or have a speculative effort presents itself, Chermiti looks ill-equipped to capitalise.
Tawanda Maswanhise is fast becoming the Occam’s razor of signings, but indeed, sometimes the simplest answer is the right one. With the Zimbabwean scoring at a rate of knots just along the M8, it is understandable the frustration displayed by some supporters that Rangers could be about to pass up another player that is under their nose.
Read more:
- Clinton Nsiala set for Rangers exit, Westerlo loan agreed and option fee set
- Mikey Moore is the man for the 'big moments' but admits he has more to give
How’s your title race nerve?
Having watched Hearts swat aside Dundee United the previous evening, Rangers arrived at Easter Road knowing that any slip up will have already been taken advantage of.
Scoreboard pressure is a massive factor in any title race, and it’s something that many of these players will have to adjust to quickly.
The last time Rangers gained the top-flight crown, it was won at a canter; this season will be a much bigger test of this side’s nerve if they are to hit the summit once more.
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