Rangers Suffer Humbling Defeat to St Mirren Amid Turbulent Season

Image credits: Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group

Rangers' struggles in the Scottish Premiership continued with a disappointing defeat to St Mirren, marking their first loss to the team in Govan since November 1991. The 2-0 defeat, courtesy of second-half goals from Mikael Mandron and Toyosi Olusanya, has left manager Philippe Clement facing intense scrutiny over his future at the club. Clement described the performance as "by far the worst" he has seen during his 16-month tenure, citing a lack of cohesion and nervousness among his players.

The defeat has significant implications for Rangers, who are now 13 points adrift of their city rivals Celtic and facing a season without winning a domestic trophy. The team's poor form has been a major concern, with their last notable success being a Europa League last-16 tie against Fenerbahce scheduled for next month. Clement's position as manager is under threat, but he remains focused on finding solutions to the team's problems rather than worrying about his own future. He emphasized the need for the team to work collectively and find the right mindset to overcome their current challenges.

St Mirren's victory was a significant upset, given their recent form, which had seen them win only one league game in seven since beating Rangers in Paisley on Boxing Day. Manager Stephen Robinson noted that his team did not feel under pressure during the game and could have scored more goals, highlighting the gulf in performance between the two teams. The empty seats at Ibrox, with the stadium three-quarters empty before the full-time whistle, told a story of its own, with fans vocal in their condemnation of the team's performance.

The list of match scores for Rangers' recent games includes:

• Rangers 0, St Mirren 2
• Rangers 0, Queen's Park 1 (Scottish Cup)

Clement's task is to turn the team's fortunes around and restore the fans' faith in the team. He acknowledged that the fans' anger is understandable, given the team's poor performance, and emphasized the need for the team to stand up and show more quality on the pitch. With the Europa League tie against Fenerbahce looming, Clement will be under pressure to deliver a positive result and restore some pride to the team.

Rangers' player statistics for the season have been disappointing, with key players failing to deliver consistent performances. The team's leadership has been called into question, with Clement emphasizing the need for collective responsibility rather than individual blame. As the team looks to bounce back from this defeat, they will need to find a way to overcome their nervousness and deliver a more cohesive performance on the pitch. The upcoming games will be crucial in determining the team's fate and Clement's future as manager.

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