Neil McCann gives scathing assessment of Rangers ‘disjointed’ defence after lacklustre 1-1 draw against Motherwell

The day began with an overriding sense of excitement and optimism among the Ibrox terraces as Rangers supporters packed into the stadium to witness the unfurling of the Scottish Premiership title-winning flag.

Sunday presented Steven Gerrard’s side with another opportunity to relive and bask in last season’s glory as the champions completed the entire campaign without losing a game.

What was to follow will have left Gers fans questioning whether they will be celebrating another domestic title come the end of this season.

The Light Blues toiled in their search of a late winner against an in-form Motherwell side that merited a share of the spoils.

Summer signing Fashion Sakala headed in his first competitive goal from close range after 12 minutes before Kaiyne Wollery silenced the home crowd, with Gerrard admitting afterwards his players “only have themselves to blame”.

In a scathing assessment of Rangers lacklustre defence on Sportscene last night, former winger Neil McCann labelled them as ‘disjointed’ and lacking ‘cohesion’.

McCann was critical in his analysis of Gerrard’s back four, signalling out Borna Barisic for being caught ‘flatfooted’ in the build up to the Steelmen’s equaliser.

The Croatian international lined up alongside James Tavernier, Connor Goldson and Jack Simpson yesterday in a backline that had conceded just 13 goals last term.

This season has been a different story having already shipped five in their opening six games.

McCann said: “That was maybe a feature of the game. That whole back four is disjointed, there is too big of a gap. They need to slide across and compress the pitch and defend properly.

“As O’Hara breaks through, look at Barisic – he should be getting closer. He doesn’t, one yard inside and he would have got the block in.

“The gap, look at the size of it. He’s flatfooted, as a back four this season, I don’t think they’re cohesive.”

Meanwhile, Ibrox legend Ally McCoist, who last week called on the club’s new signings to make an impact, thought Motherwell could have easily won the game.

Speaking on TALKSPORT, he stated: “Rangers were poor yesterday in that second half.

“In fact, I’ll be brutally honest with you: Motherwell, without being brilliant looked as though they could have scored just as much as Rangers could have scored in the second half.

“It’s definitely two points dropped, credit to Motherwell who made it very, very difficult and as I say could have easily nicked one just as much as Rangers could have second half.”