Glasgow Rangers suffered their third consecutive defeat at Ibrox for the first time since 2012 after Motherwell secured a 2-1 win on Saturday afternoon.
The game was Barry Ferguson’s first game in charge at Ibrox and he was looking for his side to continue the momentum from the 4-2 comeback victory over Kilmarnock in midweek.
The Steelmen were two goals up after half an hour, however. Cyriel Dessers reduced the arrears after half-time, but the damage was done.
Several members of the starting XI performed poorly, with a few looking like they were on autopilot as the summer transfer window looms on the horizon. Unless things improve sooner rather than later, it might be a summer of discontent at Ibrox ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Ferguson was so dismayed by the first-half performance over the weekend that he made three changes at the break. Robin Propper, Hamza Igamane and Ianis Hagi were all brought off following an underwhelming 45 minutes.
The first two were poor, but it was the performance of Hagi that was the most disappointing, failing to offer much of a threat in the final third during the opening 45 minutes.
Ianis Hagi's game in numbers vs Motherwell
Since making his long-awaited return to the first team back in October after a contract dispute threatened to derail his Ibrox career, Hagi has contributed fairly well.
His goal against Celtic at the beginning of the year in a 3-0 victory was a key highlight, while the Romanian has registered 11 goal contributions – four goals and seven assists – across 23 games for the Gers this term.
Deployed mainly on the left wing in recent weeks, Ferguson continued this theme, unleashing Hagi on the left of his four-man midfield in a 4-4-2 system.
Accurate passes
James Tavernier (67)
Key passes
Mohamed Diomande and Vaclav Cerny (3)
Tackles
Kai Andrews (4)
Shots on target
Mohamed Diomande (2)
Ground duels won
Callum Slattery and Jefte (7)
The formation didn’t exactly bring out the best in the 26-year-old, who failed to link up well with either Igamane or Dessers in the final third.
During the opening 45 minutes, Hagi completed only 19 passes while taking 44 touches as he struggled to make much of an impact in a different system than he was used to.
Going forward, Hagi delivered ten crosses into the opposition penalty area, yet only two were accurate. The midfielder also succeeded with just two of his four dribble attempts, registered a single shot off target and lost possession a staggering 15 times.
This works out as once every three touches, proving he couldn’t quite settle into the match.
Hagi has failed to score or assist in his previous three Premiership matches but he has been added to the European squad ahead of the last-16 clash against Fenerbahçe this week so perhaps he could become an important cog in Europe.
That said, his contract does expire in this summer and there haven’t been any updates regarding a potential extension, meaning the midfielder can speak to other clubs if he wishes to do so.
While losing him on a free wouldn’t be ideal, the new manager may not find space in his plans for the player.
The club have lost plenty of talented players in the past and one is even outscoring Hagi this season…
Robbie Ure’s Rangers statistics
Robbie Ure was one of the most exciting prospects of his age group, progressing through the Ibrox academy during his time at Auchenhowie.
The Light Blues haven’t had a pure out-and-out Scottish striker since Kris Boyd left in 2010 and Ure looked like he fitted the bill perfectly.
During the 2022/23 campaign, Ure was particularly impressive for the B team. He scored 17 goals and grabbed eight assists in the Lowland League, but it was his displays in the UEFA Youth League which caught the eye.
The competition – which is a youth version of the Champions League – saw the Light Blues coming up against Ajax, Liverpool and Napoli, securing two wins against the Italian side.
Ure scored a goal during the 3-2 win over Napoli in the penultimate match of the group stage, leading Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie to hail him as a “standout” performer.
That same season, Ure made his senior debut for the Gers, starting against Queen of the South in the League Cup in August 2022.
Amazingly, he scored his maiden goal for the club during the first half, showcasing his talents in front of the Ibrox crowd, with Scott Arfield hailing him as “magic” following the game.
Michael Beale let him go at the end of that season on a free, however, and the Scottish centre-forward now finds himself playing for Anderlecht Futures in the Belgian second tier.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.
How Robbie Ure is now shining in Belgium
Yes, Ure might be playing in the second division of Belgian football, but performing well could see him gain some first-team action for the club in the near future.
Last term, he scored five times and registered two assists, while even making a solitary appearance for the senior side against Royal Antwerp.
This season has been even better for the 21-year-old. He has netted seven goals in just 21 games for the club, including four in his last six appearances, chipping in with two assists too.
He looks at home on the continent and playing a different type of football could certainly pay dividends in the coming years.
“I was at Rangers for a long time and they were my boyhood club but I felt I wanted to go and challenge myself in a new country. It was up to me and my family and we thought it was the right move. Romelu Lukaku started at Anderlecht and he is someone I look up to. I feel like we are both target men. There are so many players who came through at Anderlecht. It’s good to look up to them when I am starting the same journey. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it’s been good and it’s a good level. We are basically an U23s team in the second tier so it is definitely challenging.” – Robbie Ure.
While not saying that he is at the same level as someone like Hagi, it is another case of the Ibrox side failing to give their young talent a proper chance, before watching them blossom elsewhere.
It has been a recurring theme at the club since promotion back to the top flight in 2016. Whoever comes in to manage the Gers this summer, they must utilise the talent coming through the academy.
Bailey Rice, Findlay Curtis and Paul Nsio have all been given chances so far this season, but more minutes are required if the trio are to live up to their potential.
Ure is certainly enjoying life outside of Scotland and the Gers may rue letting him go for nothing.
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