McInnes' Rangers grind out narrow win over Jablonec despite lacklustre display
Rangers beat Jablonec 1-0 at home in their Conference League play-off first leg, but a laboured performance raised questions about the squad despite heavy transfer spending.
Rangers secured a 1-0 home win over Czech side Jablonec in the first leg of their Conference League play-off, though the performance fell well short of convincing. Substitute Ryan Naderi scored the winner in the second half after a largely uninspired contest from both sides.
Rangers played much of the second half a man down after substitute Cammy Devlin, on the pitch for only five minutes, was sent off for a reckless challenge. Fortunately for the hosts, Jablonec proved organised but toothless in attack and never mounted a serious response.
Among the positives were the narrow lead heading into the return leg, a clean sheet, and solid performances from Djeidi Gassama, James Penrice and Olwethu Makhanya. The first half, however, was difficult to watch, with Rangers lacking movement and creativity as defenders repeatedly struggled to find team-mates in space.
The result comes against a wider backdrop of heavy investment at Ibrox. Since Andrew Cavenagh's consortium took charge last summer, Rangers have spent close to £50-60m on nearly 30 new signings. Despite the outlay, the team's performances continue to be viewed as underwhelming, especially compared with rivals Celtic, who impressed with a far more fluid display the previous evening.
Midfielder Nico Raskin was an unused substitute due to a minor injury, amid ongoing speculation linking him with a move to Turkish club Fenerbahce. The second leg against Jablonec is scheduled for next week.
