Results show Rangers misjudged summer transfer window refresh - Joshua Barrie

It depends on what a club has set out to achieve. In some scenarios, players are signed on the presupposition that they’ll take time to bed in and make an impact on the pitch. Perhaps they’re young and arriving to prop up an already healthy-looking area that doesn’t depend on imminent success from new arrivals.

In others, players are purchased to refresh and revitalise the starting 11 immediately. The club they’re joining may be in the midst of a gradual rebuild and in need of fresh impetus.

Now in mid-October, on track for one of the worst Champions League group records ever held and fresh from a 7-1 defeat against Liverpool in midweek, Rangers look to have signed too many players in the first camp when they needed summer arrivals to be categorised in the second.

They remain within touching distance in the league but have suffered two 4-0 defeats and Wednesday’s humiliation in just over a month. Criticism is not only warranted in this context but required.

The gulf experienced in the Champions League is huge but if this group's success was measured on expectations last season, the Europa League run would’ve ended against Borussia Dortmund.

What does seem obvious is that van Bronckhorst’s starting 11 against Liverpool is weaker now than it was in Germany when you consider the loss of Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey.

That may not be the case in a few months. Ridvan Yilmaz, Malik Tillman and Rabbi Matondo could all have made a huge impact by the end of the season. That remains possible as all are talented players who have shown flashes of potential that will likely be fully realised over time. Problematically though, the events of the last month suggest the club instead needed more arrivals to contribute significantly and sooner.

Summer recruitment is not a burden any individual is solely responsible for. Circumstance has played a part on the injury front and there are success stories too. But the second half against Liverpool, like the first in Amsterdam and during the recent Old Firm, suggest that overall, the impact has not been strong enough three months into the season.

Speaking exclusively to the Rangers Review last month, managing director Stewart Robertson detailed the recruitment process in place at Ibrox. Dispelling myths that Ross Wilson picks players on his own accord and simply hands them to the manager.

“We wouldn't sign someone if Gio said he didn't want them because you put yourself in a very difficult position if you do that,” he said.

Rangers Review (Image: Rangers Review)

“There's a lot of work that goes into who we sign. There's a lot of work in the background in terms of scouting resources, analysis resources, the meetings that are held to view the reports and clips of the players. That's the full football department that is involved including Ross and Giovanni. There is a list of players by position, they are ranked by choice and then you ask can you get him, is he affordable, does he want to come to Scotland? You go through that process and get number one then you make sure the manager is happy with it and go for it.”

Robertson added that the club did their business early to boost hopes of a Champions League place and revealed the wage bill was increased for the same reason.

That target was achieved and early transfer business played a big part in doing so. Tom Lawrence, Tillman and Antonio Colak were influential in wins over Union Saint-Gilloise and PSV. Rangers looked to have learned their lessons from last season when they failed to strengthen before facing Malmo.

Four games into the group stage this year, Lawrence has suffered an injury and Tillman has been involved only sporadically, failing to impose himself after a fast start to life in Glasgow. As a result, a midfield three of Ryan Jack, Steven Davis and Scott Arfield started in the clash with Napoli. Against Liverpool, Arfield played at No.10 with the player seemingly signed to operate in that role, Tillman, resigned to the bench. And while the 33-year-old scored a fantastic opening goal, he gave up possession in the lead-up to two second-half concessions.

Rangers needed ‘ready now’ solutions in midfield to replace Aribo’s consistency and ability. Lawrence’s injury is an important caveat here but for all Tillman’s positive early impressions, he seems to have fallen off the face of the earth since a damaging Old Firm defeat, much like Amad Diallo the season before.

The midfield in each Champions League tie has lacked the athleticism to compete at this level. Jack, Arfield and Davis have all served the club admirably but further market additions should've been made since their peak as a unit in 2019. Particularly given Glen Kamara’s decline in form in the last number of months.

Van Bronckhorst wanted Davis and Arfield to stay at the club alongside veteran keeper Allan McGregor this summer and was integral in ensuring they did so. He valued their experience and leadership on and off the pitch. It’s both unfair to call them the problem and correct to suggest that they're not the long-term solution.

Ridvan and Matondo were signed with an eye on the future. The issue is, after Davies, the pair have cost a considerable portion of the entire summer’s spending, coming in at over £5m. Although they may well come good, could some of the money they cost have been put to better use. There are areas that clearly needed immediate attention this summer, namely the centre-midfield roles where a lack of dynamism is obvious.

Of course, if the context was sunnier the outlook on either player would be more favourable. 

Colak has been an unprecedented success. Having scored 10 league goals in nine starts the Croatian forward represents the type of deal Robertson alludes to. A player in reach financially, addressing a necessary hole in the squad and well suited to the manager’s style of play.

Davies looks to have all the attributes to succeed at Ibrox too, arriving at peak age and providing a long-term solution next to Connor Goldson, who unfortunately picked up a serious injury against Liverpool that will keep him out for months. Elsewhere in defence, John Souttar looked to have overcome his injury issues at Hearts last season, playing 33 games, but alongside Filip Helander will not see the pitch anytime soon.

When this topic is revisited in future the tone could be so different. Need the John Lundstram example be cited once again? Some players need time.

Colak will go on to score bundles of goals. Lawrence looked perfectly suited prior to his injury. Ridvan cost what he did for a reason and similarly, Matondo has raw attributes that can succeed if directed properly. Tillman can recapture the performance levels that generated such early excitement and it seems certain Davies will form a commanding partnership with Goldson going forward if he can avoid injury.

But Rangers are in the situation they currently find themselves, in part, because the refresh this summer is taking too long to make its desired impact.