The second international break of the season affords Rangers a chance to recalibrate and reset.

Philippe Clement’s side have endured a mixed start to the season; exiting the Champions League early, completing the first stage of a squad rebuild, starting their Europa League campaign with an impressive away win in Malmo and losing convincingly against Celtic.

Our writers take a closer look…

Are Rangers where they thought they’d be come October?

Chris Jack: Where they thought they would be and where they hoped they would be are different questions and have different answers. If you had a glass-half-full outlook, then the current situation would not be that much of a surprise, to be honest. Qualifying for the Champions League was always going to be a long shot – although Dynamo Kyiv should have been beaten - and few would have fancied Clement to reverse his Old Firm record at Parkhead. The draw with Hearts on the opening day looks even worse now given the Jambos’ fortunes since. It is not a huge shock to see Rangers trailing in the title race and with concerns over the squad. This is not where the manager, players or fans would have wanted to be, but the more realistic observers must always have had the fear of a slow start given every factor that had to be considered. Clement has expressed his confidence that his side would hit their stride during October and heading into November. There is more work to be done in that regard than expected and supporters really need to see signs of progress sooner rather than later to give them something to buy into this season.

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Joshua Barrie: This coming month shapes the season, undoubtedly. Rangers will need to be far better than they’ve been with trips to face Kilmarnock, Olympiacos and Aberdeen. Clement’s insistence that a better version of his side should show face come the autumn months will need to spring true if their campaign is to really kick into gear. So far, while there have been optimistic signs and a few good wins, momentum still remains out of reach. The encouragement of that night in Malmo was all but evaporated by the home defeat against Lyon. Domestic victories have returned following that Old Firm loss, but it feels like a statement performance is required to truly ignite belief. A few good results over the coming four weeks is essential to buy this team, and relatively young squad, the time required to grow.

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Who has been the signing of the summer so far?

Chris Jack: There are not a lot of runners and riders in that particular race at present and it is between Jefte and Connor Barron. The former Aberdeen midfielder has been a solid performer so far and has done what he had to do in terms of coming into the team and making an immediate impression. He is still young and inexperienced at European level, but he is not a project player and there was a bit of pressure on him to be able to slot into Clement’s side. He deserves credit for the way he has done so. Jefte has been more of a surprise package and that gives him the edge here. Supporters didn’t really know what to expect when he arrived at Ibrox and he had more to contend with than most of the recruits given the language barrier and cultural adjustments he had to make. He is still raw and there are still rough edges to his game but there is clearly talent there and it is a case of so far so good for a player that could go on to be a success for Clement and Nils Koppen.

Joshua Barrie: While I agree that Barron has impressed and has taken quicker than anticipated to the responsibility attached to anchoring the Rangers midfield, Jefte has been this writer’s pick. The 20-year-old Brazilian epitomises the recruitment strategy the club said they’d embody under Koppen - buying young players from new markets for affordable fees, able to contribute now and be sold on in the future. Jefte’s rarely been exposed defensively and adds so much going forward. Able to pass, carry or cross his way into dangerous areas, the lack of options on the left-wing makes Jefte’s presence in the attack all the more important. More than anything, the left-back is brave and unpredictable on the ball. Rather than passing backwards when pressed he has an innate ability to spring through it, with pace few opponents can match. While Ridvan Yilmaz will offer competition and cover upon his return from injury, Jefte is the clear first-choice option at left-back currently.

Who has been the most underwhelming performer?

Chris Jack: There are unfortunately a couple of contenders here and form and fitness concerns must be overcome for the likes of Ridvan Yilmaz, Oscar Cortes, Vaclav Cerny and Danilo. All of those players had a lower bar of expectation than James Tavernier, though, and the skipper has been a disappointment so far. A lot of the criticism has been over the top at times and there was no justification for confronting Tavernier outside Ibrox following the Old Firm defeat. It was not needed and was not going to help the situation. Clement spoke in the summer about Tavernier’s workload being reduced and this term has shown that he is paying the price for continually being asked to play or putting himself forward in recent seasons. The right-back has not been as dynamic or influential in an attacking sense and the long-standing defensive concerns have looked more readily exposed this season. Tavernier has had difficult moments over the course of his Rangers career and he should not be written off just yet. He can still be a key player for Rangers this term but must raise his game soon amid competition for his place.

Joshua Barrie: The false starts attached to Cortes’ campaign get my vote. Everyone can see in the, albeit small, flashes witnessed so far that the Colombian attacker has quality and potential. Unlike his fellow 20-year-old arrival Jefte, Cortes just hasn’t been able to showcase it yet. Clement has previously talked about the back luck associated with the winger’s repeated injury issues ever since hobbling down the tunnel at Rugby Park and requiring surgery that would keep him out of the remaining months of last season. Cortes did not arrive at Rangers with any concerning injury history or surgeries but for one reason or another, whether in training or matches, duels and collisions have ruled him out for concerted periods of time. After last Sunday’s meeting with St Johnstone, Clement confirmed that the attacker’s lay-off was long-term - with the duration of that injury to be confirmed. Given Rabbi Matondo, an understudy on the left-wing, is similarly injury-prone, Nedim Bajrami will likely continue in a false winger role from the left. While Ianis Hagi’s return to the fold is a boost with that in mind, Cortes’ lack of contribution continues to frustrate.

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What is one positive trend you’ve seen this season?

Chris Jack: A run of domestic clean sheets has been most welcome in recent weeks and that will give Clement confidence heading into this next tranche of fixtures. Robin Propper has recovered from a slow start to his Rangers career with a couple of decent domestic showings and the partnership with John Souttar shows signs of progression. It is not perfect, but it is the best pairing that Clement has. The Scotland stopper answered a lot of questions about his robustness last season and was unfortunate to miss out on the squad for the Euros. If he can continue to perform at Ibrox, he must be in contention to force his way into the backline for his country. Tavernier has been susceptible and Jefte still has a lot to prove and a lot to learn. Jack Butland’s form was a source of concern for a few weeks but recent showings have been better and Clement needs him to get back to the levels that he showed for several months last season before a drop-off towards the end of the campaign. There are fears that Rangers are too easy to play against and too easy to play through. If the shut-out run is to continue, those issues must be addressed individually and collectively.

Joshua Barrie: The structure of the midfield has changed - for the better. Last season Clement’s football became too direct and one-dimensional, always trying to turn defences and attack at speed. After March when the Belgian manager was without any wingers and lacked a rotation option up top, the impact of that approach weakened. And the knock-on effect? Different approaches were wheeled-out in order to alternate and improve the attack which left the middle of the pitch so susceptible to counterattacks in return. The day the league was really lost in this writer’s opinion arrived in Dingwall. Ross County’s 3-2 win saw Rangers concede the highest domestic xG against in six seasons and it was all borne out of a lack of control in midfield. The method of a team’s attack has, of course, a direct correlation to the way in which they defend. And the Ibrox side's slightly slower approach on the ball in build-up should help the transition issues that plagued the end of last season. With that said, there can still often remain a lack of central coverage.

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What is one negative trend you’ve seen this season?

Chris Jack: Goals win games. Will Rangers score enough goals to win enough games? That is doubtful as it stands. Cyriel Dessers has contributed more this term than he did in the opening weeks of his Ibrox career and can be pleased with his efforts overall. You would back him to go on and reach the target of 20 goals again and perhaps surpass his tally from last season. A look around the rest of the team will spark concerns, though. Tavernier does not look like being able to produce the remarkable numbers that he has done throughout his career and there is a lack of guile and goals in Clement’s side. Tom Lawrence has chipped in and must continue to do so, while Clement needs Nedim Bajrami to provide goals and assists and kick on from an eye-catching start at Ibrox. It will then fall on the likes of Ross McCausland, Matondo and Cortes to weigh in from the wide areas and Mohamed Diomande to add that cutting edge to his game. Rangers are already 13 goals worse off in goal difference terms compared to Celtic. It is hard to see how that trend is reversed.

Joshua Barrie: I agree, Rangers’ xG/90 of 1.75 may be marginally worse than Celtic’s 2.09, but their Goals/90 of 1.71 is nearly half the league leader’s 3.14. You could justifiably suggest that Brendan Rodgers’ side won’t outperform their xG by a goal per game all season. And yet, the lack of depth in the attack available to Clement at present is concerning. Hamza Igamane will need to start contributing consistently soon until Danilo is back up to speel, while Vaclav Cerny’s double against St Johnstone must be a sign of things to come. There’s belief that Bajrami can chip in with his own numbers and Lawrence has scored two league winners so far. Dessers will go through the usual ups and downs associated with a forward who isn’t suited to every occasion and needs to be rotated.

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How significant is the next month of the campaign?

Chris Jack: It will not just go a long way to shaping the season for Rangers, it could determine Clement’s future as boss. The board had enough faith in the Belgian to hand him a new contract before a ball was kicked this term and that backing has been reinforced despite the departure of chairman John Bennett. Supporters will have their questions and concerns, though. A year into his tenure, few would say with absolute confidence that Clement is the man that will lead Rangers to their next title. The point about Rangers having to stick with a boss and break the cycle of sackings at this time of the year is fair, but that doesn’t mean that you can endlessly back a manager who is not up to the job. Clement is not at that stage and not under that pressure yet, but he needs to see a reaction to the Lyon defeat in the Europa League fixture with Steaua Bucharest. Kilmarnock and St Mirren simply must be beaten to keep Rangers in contention in the title race. The trip to Pittodrie at the end of the month is shaping up to be quite the encounter and it could be defining for Clement.

Joshua Barrie: Momentum is what Clement, and Rangers, are after. When they left Rugby Park late last February having secured a 2-1 win somewhat against the run of play, every shred of confidence and belief from the support was behind them. Months on, as they prepare to visit that same ground, Rangers have not yet been able to recapture the ascendency of those early months managed by the Belgian. It was always going to take the Ibrox outfit time to get up to speed this season with so much change in the starting 11, but that caveat won’t stand when the next round of internationals comes around. While board backing for Clement remains as strong as ever, supporters could do with a few significant matches that signpost where they’re going under his management.