Derek McInnes, the new manager of Rangers, has urged for patience following his team's 1-1 draw against Dundee United in their Scottish Premiership season opener. McInnes stated that his team will improve and that further additions are expected in the coming weeks to strengthen the squad.
Former Rangers striker Steven Thompson echoed McInnes' sentiment, suggesting there is no immediate cause for alarm. "It's not the result Rangers wanted, but it is a point away from home at a difficult venue," Thompson said on BBC Radio Scotland. "Other teams will come here and find it very difficult." He added that it is too early in the season for knee-jerk reactions and that judgment should be reserved until McInnes has acquired his preferred players and had more time for training ground work.
Several players made their debuts for Rangers in the match, including center-back Ben Godfrey and former Hearts duo Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland. Summer signings Dan Neil and Ross McCrorie also featured as substitutes, signaling a glimpse of the new-look Rangers side under McInnes. The manager has made it clear that more player acquisitions are planned.
However, former Rangers player Andy Halliday identified tactical issues during the game. "No matter how many defenders you play with, the main fundamental is being compact, and I thought Rangers were the furthest thing from compact," Halliday stated on Sportsound. He observed that the best individual performances on the field, aside from Thelo Aasgaard, came from Dundee United players. Halliday concluded that Rangers are a work in progress and, despite expected additions, the start to the season was not what the team was aiming for.