A POINT at Rangers is always two points dropped and it’s what makes life at the club what it is. But sometimes, just sometimes, a point can be a decent one.

Rangers' point at Pittodrie was exactly that. Largely owing to the fact that the side served up such a sub-standard performance, comparable to the levels prior to Giovanni van Bronckhorst's arrival. The team struggled to get to grips with the ball and surrendered far too much space in midfield.

There has been a lot of discussion regarding Rangers need for a right-sided attacker, which is completely correct. But a dominating midfielder to win the ball and recycle it quickly is also needed. Ironically, exactly the role Ryan Jack fulfilled so successfully in the first half of last season's title win.

Defensively, we were solid and can again be pleased with the performance of our centre backs, that is the big plus. However, the quick counterattack which led to the goal was the only output from the three attacking players who created very little and couldn’t get in the game. As a result, Alfredo Morelos was cast adrift and given very little service.

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The midfield struggled to move the ball and when they did it was always backwards. There seemed a disconnect between the three attackers (behind Alfredo) and our middle two. Both were neat and worked hard, but once we had the ball there was a massive Joe Aribo-sized hole in the team. When you don’t have Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, Jack or Aribo you are going to struggle.

We need more from Ianis Hagi, Ryan Kent and Scott Wright though. Wright was as poor and Hagi was anonymous, Kent wasteful bar that one moment to assist the opener. 

That’s even before we get to the officiating. 

Ryan Kent went off for two of the softest moments you will see in the game, whereas Ross McCrorie was allowed to crudely take out James Sands and Morelos in situations worse whilst receiving half the punishment.

Then as Borna Barisic was elbowed in the face not once but twice by Hayes it was ignored, until Scott Brown pointed it out allowing Aberdeen an attacking set-piece against nine men. The penalty itself shouldn’t have stood but by this point, you are getting the picture. 

But he wasn’t the reason we didn’t win the match. Whilst the point isn’t the worst, Rangers need to take this as a warning and quickly find their stride. I said we could be out of sight if we do so quickly and that remains the case, but if we perform like tonight then we won’t.

It’s obvious the team are more careful under Gio and it’s obvious we missed our unavailable players, that doesn’t stop those performing a whole lot better.

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Rangers have to win. Nothing else is good enough and that means last night wasn’t good enough by any stretch. However, on a night where we performed with such a lacklustre output and had a man sent off for minor offences, then you take it and get back down the road quickly.

Reset, regroup, get some players back and get going again. No time to overthink it, only time to respond