Don't look back in anger ... recalled Allan must now work hard to keep his first team place

by Derek Johnstone

RANGERS lost their first SPL game of the season at the weekend because they went out with the wrong attitude at Love Street.
It was their worst domestic performance - and by some distance. The passing was poor, there was no presence up front and the players didn't appear to want to win the game as badly as they've wanted to win other matches this season.

Memo to Al: Don't drop the ball again
THE decision to welcome Allan McGregor back into the starting line-up at Love Street came as just a big a surprise as the decision to drop him in the first place. Walter Smith showed the keeper, and other members of his squad, that no-one's place was guaranteed.
McGregor was not at his best and the manager decided to make a point. That allowed Neil Alexander to take over and I thought he did very well in the three matches he played.
He made some crucial saves against Motherwell, Partick Thistle and Hibs. I think most of us expected him to stay in the team until his form dipped.
But Smith obviously felt he had made his point to McGregor and brought him back in at the weekend and I'd now imagine he will keep his place now if he works hard in training, performs well in matches and shows the right attitude.

The team who wanted it more got it.
St Mirren worked their socks off, Gus MacPherson got his tactics spot-on and they more than merited the three points.
When the Old Firm lose, everyone focuses on what went wrong rather than give credit to the opposition.
However, without taking anything away from St Mirren, Rangers just weren't at the races. Too many players had an off-day at the same time.
In the past, fatigue from European encounters has been used as an excuse, but Rangers don't have that this season.
Celtic got the runaround in the second half against Villarreal last midweek, but hammered Hamilton Accies 4-0 and looked fresh and up for it at Celtic Park.
Yet a Rangers team that didn't have a game or any travelling to do during the week appeared to lack bite or sharpness at Love Street. So I'd fully expect Walter Smith to have been upset with what he had witnessed.
Apart from the final 10 minutes, after St Mirren had taken the lead, Rangers didn't ask any real questions of the Saints defence. I thought the three guys at the back performed well for St Mirren and, at the other end, the Rangers defence ensured Allan McGregor was protected.
In fact, Stephen McGinn's winner was their only effort on goal as far as I can recall. After that, Rangers played with a bit more urgency. The ball was getting played into the penalty area and, for the first time in the game, the Saints goal was under siege.
But why did it have to take St Mirren going in front for that to be the case?
Pedro Mendes was not as influential as he has been in previous games, but I still thought he was neat and tidy.
Maybe he failed to come up with something a bit special in the final third. However, I still thought he played reasonably well.
Down the right, Steven Davis and Kirk Broadfoot just didn't get going. They have linked up really well of late, but they had too many bodies in front of them and never worked out a way of supplying the strikers with decent service.
And Kenny Miller and Jean-Claude Darcheville didn't have a big enough influence on the game either so, from middle to front, it was poor stuff.
Now Rangers have lost their place at the top of the SPL and that will also give Celtic a big boost.
It is still too early in the season to worry about league positions but, when you are top and enjoying a good run of form, you've got to try and maintain that for as long as possible.
But Rangers didn't put enough into their display at the weekend to ensure that was the case.