Derek McInnes claims Rangers squad 'will improve' during window as star stands out in Dundee United stalemate
The Light Blues earned a point at Tannadice in their SPFL Premiership opener
Rangers boss Derek McInnes highlighted the importance of transfer reinforcement after their 1-1 draw with Dundee United - but took positives from the performances of goal scorer Thelo Aasgaard.
It was a familiar story for the Gers in their Premiership curtain-raiser - a fixture they haven’t won since 2022. An end-to-end affair at Tannadice ended honoured honours even after Aasgaard cancelled out Tangerines striker Lachlan Rose’s opener. Overall, it was a cagey performance from McInnes’ men, who lacked imagination in the final third and could’ve lost the match in the dying moments, when United winger Jesse Randall found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Ivor Pandur but chipped the ball straight into the arms of the Croatian.
Pandur has been one of eight new signings at Ibrox this season, with defenders Ross McCrorie, Ben Godfrey and Olwethu Makhanya, midfielders Dan Neil, Cammy Devlin and Vanja Dragojevic, as well as striker Lawrence Shankland having entered the building. Despite Rangers’ early transfer movement, the Tannadice stalemate was a strong indicator that work still needs to be done.
McInnes insists Gers ‘will improve’ after underwhelming opener
After the match, McInnes said: “We’ve got to improve in a lot of things. The squad will improve as we go along through this month, and the squad will look far stronger than we came into this window, with some new signings. But there are games that we’ve got to pay attention to and we’ve got games to deal with. I do think we’ll be better for having had that game. We’re still learning a bit about the squad as well, and we’re all kind of learning on the job, but we want to make sure we’re learning and want to improve we're picking up three points.”
A creative attacker is what the squad have been crying out for since the beginning of the window, but despite Rangers’ early movement, this is an area they’re yet to strengthen in. In recent weeks, the club have been linked with former loanee Vaclav Cerny, who’s currently plying his trade at Besiktas. During his short term spell at Ibrox, the Czech winger scored 18 goals and registered nine assists, making him a popular figure among the fanbase.
Norwegian star stands out in opener
Last season, Aasgaard showed moments of brilliance but wasn’t able to perform on a consistent basis. However, at Tannadice the Norwegian midfielder took his goal well and looked a constant threat. McInnes is hoping he’s gained some confidence after a strong World Cup with his country. He continued: “When he (Aasgaard) did, at times, get into the little pockets, it shows his touch and his composure and his quality.
“We played him more tucked in off the left‑hand side second half, and I thought he was far more effective, to be honest. The boy deserves a lot of credit. He could have taken a longer rest after the World Cup. I think he took a lot of confidence from the World Cup, being involved with such a great effort for his country and playing his part, especially the goal against France.”