Rangers lost 2-1 to Hibs at Ibrox on Sunday, leaving manager Derek McInnes still without a win after three competitive matches in charge.
The result leaves Rangers five points off the pace in the Premiership after three games. McInnes has signed nine players over the summer, but there is no evidence yet that they will bring about a turnaround.
Back in Glasgow last week for a series of media appearances, former Rangers manager Graeme Souness was blunt when asked about McInnes' efforts to address a lack of leadership in the squad. "As long as they can f****** play," Souness said. "Time will tell. It's early days..."
Penalty gives Hibs early lead
Rangers had already made a stuttering start to the season, following defeats away to Dundee United and Jagiellonia Bialystok. Supporters hoped Sunday would be the day the new-look side finally got going.
Instead they were miles off the pace in the first half and fell behind to a disputed penalty converted by Josh Campbell.
McInnes made six changes to the side that had played Jagiellonia on Thursday. Cammy Devlin and Findlay Curtis were dropped to the bench, and Olwethu Makhanya made his debut. Bojan Miovski did not make the squad at all.
Vanja Dragojevic, signed mainly as a holding midfielder, was picked at right-back ahead of Dujon Sterling and Ross McCrorie. It was an inauspicious start for the Serb, who conceded a penalty after 12 minutes while defending a corner. Video assistant referee Matthew MacDermid and referee Don Robertson judged there was enough contact to award the spot kick, despite little contact being visible. After a lengthy delay, Campbell sent goalkeeper Ivor Pandur the wrong way from 12 yards.
Chermiti injury adds to Rangers' problems
Rangers responded through Youssef Chermiti, who dragged a shot wide, and Devlin, who did the same after Lawrence Shankland won the ball back. Dragojevic also went close with a strike from the edge of the box that flew just off target.
Winger Daisuke Yokota was one of Rangers' brightest players, cutting the ball back for Chermiti after beating his man, but Kanayo Megwa's positioning on the line kept Hibs ahead. Goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger was called into his first real action when Tuur Rommens shot from the edge of the box, though the keeper was always in control of the situation.
The afternoon worsened for Rangers when Chermiti failed to get up after colliding with an advertising board. He was stretchered down the tunnel and replaced by Ryan Naderi.
Hibs stayed compact but still created chances. Thibault Klidje thought he had doubled their lead when the ball fell to him ten yards out, but his shot flew over the bar. Dragojevic fired another effort from the edge of the box just wide as the half wore on. Rangers' best chance of the half came from a clipped pass over the top by Manny Fernandez that took out the Hibs defence, but Nico Raskin failed to hit the target when leaning back to shoot.
Second-half chances go begging
Dragojevic did not reappear for the second half. Curtis dropped into right-back, with Mohamed Diomande introduced in midfield.
Captain Shankland struggled for large parts of the game and was dispossessed at one point in a passage McInnes would have expected him to handle better. Curtis smashed a shot off the back of defender Jason Kerr, and Diomande's follow-up was palmed away by Sallinger. Shankland later played a fine pass around the corner to release Raskin, but the Belgian's shot lacked power.
Naderi's flick-on found Shankland, who drilled a shot towards goal that struck Sallinger's arm, then the turf, then the crossbar.
Late equaliser then a stoppage-time winner
With Hibs sitting deeper, Rangers found their best spell of the match after bringing on Thelo Aasgaard and Djeidi Gassama. Adam Mayor made a remarkable block to stop a Shankland effort, though an earlier infringement meant it would not have counted anyway. Aasgaard added some composure to Rangers' play, and a shot from 18 yards came close to levelling the score.
The equaliser, when it came with five minutes left, was a mistake by Hibs. Substitute Felix Passlack gave the ball away under little pressure, and Gassama sent a low ball across the box that struck Miguel Chaiwa, who had been one of the best players on the pitch, and flew past Sallinger.
Rangers pushed for a winner. Shankland had a header saved, and Gassama saw an effort blocked by the goalkeeper's legs. But in the third minute of stoppage time, the Rangers defence switched off again. Substitute Nathan Lowe found fellow replacement Callum Wright on the counterattack, and his deflected shot beat Pandur to restore Hibs' lead.
Third win at Ibrox for Gray's Hibs
Hibs manager David Gray made four changes from the side that narrowly beat Shkendija, bringing in Campbell, Ante Suto, Kanayo Megwa and Klidje. The win was Hibs' third at Ibrox in as many seasons, and Gray's side now travel to Macedonia for their next match in bullish mood.
For Rangers, the loss of Chermiti to injury compounds a difficult build-up to Thursday's return leg against Jagiellonia Bialystok.
