RANGERS boss Steven Gerrard didn’t hold back when speaking to the media following his side’s 1-0 over Alashkert in the first leg of their Europa League playoff.

The Light Blues had to battle with 10 men for just over 45 minutes after John Lundstram picked up two yellow cards.

Alfredo Morelos netted the only goal of the game to give Rangers a slender lead to take to Yerevan next week.

Gerrard was scathing when he spoke to the press afterwards.

Performance 

“I've got confidence and belief we can get going and restart and show we can get back to the form we need - but we need to wake up now.

"We're in competitions and we're at a club where you can't afford to be where we are right now. We need to find our level and we need to wake up right now.

"We should have made this game so much more comfortable than we have. We've only got ourselves to blame.

"It was way beyond tactics in the first half. Before you kick a ball or worry about tactics, you've got to show fight, desire and heart.

"You've got to be committed. You've got to run through walls. You've got to show these fans here that you're prepared to be all in.

"The first-half performance was so far away from where I wanted it to be.”

Gerrard doesn’t miss here, he’s known to be emotional straight after games, especially European encounters and it’s clear he’s less than impressed with a number of his under-performing players.

 

The first half showing was pedestrian and lacklustre as Rangers looked to be treating a competition, that has served them well in recent years, like the booby prize following last week’s disappointing Champions League exit to Malmo.

It’s clear a number of those responsible for delivering 55, have failed to recapture the form that saw them finish the league campaign undefeated and Gerrard has clearly been frustrated by the first half showing.

They simply cannot afford a similar type of performance in Armenia next week or face the prospect of being dumped out of two European competitions in the space of a fortnight.

Lundstram sending off

“I haven’t looked at it back just yet. But what I would say is that I thought the referee had a good game. We didn’t have any complaints.

“One thing you need in Europe is discipline. We have spoken on so many occasions about how many times as a team we have let ourselves down and shot ourselves in the foot when it comes down to discipline.

“Other people have to turn into superhumans and put their capes on because we lacked discipline in the first half.

“At this level, you have to play with discipline and try and stay on the pitch. Otherwise, people have to go above and beyond. Moving forward again I have to talk about discipline. We do it an awful lot.

“Look, the players know, I can tell they know, I know them very well. We can give them the information, we can be honest, but I think where we are right now it needs to come from the leadership group.

“We need to move forward, we need to be united, we need to get back to our level sharpish. It can happen really quickly if everyone gets focused and we move along together.”

Gerrard is quite clearly furious at John Lundstram’s red card. The Englishman's action was foolish to say the least and put his team in real jeopardy.

It won’t do Lundstram any good in trying to win an ever-growing number of fans over who are unsure he’s the right fit.

It’s going to take the former Sheffield United man time to adapt to a completely new way of playing and the expectation that comes with that, what cannot be tolerated though is a mindless sending off.

You can guarantee Gerrard would have told Lundstram, in no uncertain terms, just how stupid he was and how costly his dismissal could have been and may still be.

READ MORE: Detailed Rangers player ratings as Alfredo Morelos stars and John Lundstram lets the side down

With Juninho Bacuna now in the door, Lundstram needs to find a level of form that will start to endear him to this demanding Rangers support fast because the manager doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

Scott Wright

“I thought he was outstanding,” he said. “I thought his effort was superhuman. He ran for the team, he didn’t play with any ego, everything we asked him to do he did it and more.

“That’s what gets these fans to take to you. I am sure these fans tonight will be ever so proud of Scott Wright because his effort was superhuman. It was tough for him. He was chasing shadows for the sake of the team, he was selfless. But I am so proud of Scott Wright after tonight’s performance.”

The manager couldn’t hide his delight over the display of Scott Wright and no wonder.

The forward changed the game when he replaced Ryan Kent at the break and Gerrard quite rightly was gushing in his praise.

As much as Rangers have started the season slowly, Wright has been the bright spark that has excited the supporters, unlike Lundstram, he’s hit the ground running since arriving from Aberdeen in January and looks to have taken his game onto another level.

He’s almost made himself undroppable given current form and given Gerrard’s words, it’s his shirt to lose.

The Light Blues boss also spoke this morning ahead of Sunday's trip to Dingwall to face Ross County.

READ MORE: Rangers recover with help of Ibrox crowd - but Steven Gerrard needs a response from his team

Ryan Kent

"I think it is clear he is not at his best level right now. But, as his manager and as a staff, we will give him the support he needs to try and get him back in the best place as quick as we can.

"Ryan has been absolutely phenomenal for me and the club since he has walked through the door. It is very rare to see him when he is not in top form.

"But this is it, he is human, it happens. I had more dips in form than anyone out there, so I understand that.

"He needs myself, the staff and his teammates to get round him and it will only take that one moment of brilliance or one big performance and he will be back in the place we need him."

It's pretty evident Ryan Kent is struggling this season.  The manager's comments sugests a softly, softly approach as he knows, as we all do, he is capable of breathtaking displays.

He's had little dips in form before and bounced back and Kent's simply too good a player not to do likewise but at this moment in time Rangers can't afford to have him struggling through games.  Given Scott Wright's performance last night, you'd imagine he's climbed above Kent in the pecking order and that is how it should be.

Perhaps some time out of the side will do Kent good, allow him to recharge his batteries and recapture the form we all know he's got in the locker.

Injury update

"Ryan Jack is progressing well. He is getting closer and closer but obviously, we need to be patient with him.

"He has missed a lot of football but he is one that we are really looking forward to having back. Ryan is a standard setter, someone who we have missed, certainly this season, so we are looking forward to getting him back.

"Nnamdi (Ofoborh) has got further tests next week so we are hoping for some good news in terms of the tests. He has been around the ground and settled in well, we just need to try and get him back in a safe way and be patient on that one as well.

"Sakala has got a bit of a niggle in his groin, I think he is paying for myself and the staff pushing him a little bit too quick, maybe.

"Not getting a full pre-season and we have pushed him in a little bit too quick coming out of the hotel and putting him into full training too quick.

"I think part of that little niggle is on me as well. That is a frustrating one, but what we don’t want to do is put him in while it is niggling away and make it worse. Hopefully, he won’t be too far away."

The news about Ryan Jack is encouraging and you can clearly tell Gerrard is desperate to have his trusted lieutenant back in contention.  Rangers have certainly missed his presence in the middle of the park and with the going proving tough at the minute, he's exactly the sort of player who could lift the mood and get the Light Blues back on an even keel.  That being said, Gerrard does say they have to be patient, it will do the player nor the club any good if he breaks down again.

The update on Nnamdi Ofoborh is also encouraging, he's gone under the radar given his lack of involvement but, having spoken to those close to him, he's a player of real potential and talent and, like Jack, will give the squad a boost if he can get back involved soon. 

It's interesting to hear the manager's comments on Sakala, after his goal against Real Madrid, many felt the Zambian would kick on but injury has put paid to that.  The absence of Alfredo Morelos at the start of the campaign looks to have resulted in Sakala's injury with Gerrard admitting they may have pushed him too hard.