Black day for the blues: can Ally McCoist still lead this Rangers side?

Well let’s be honest here – hardly a big surprise, was it?

Consensus amongst the fans is that there has been a worrying low standard of play from Ally McCoist’s Rangers team this season and quickly following on from last week’s mediocre showing against Montrose, the poor fare at Tannadice was surely not unexpected.

If anyone was still deluded enough to think that we could witness some joyful scenes at Hampden in May, with the Scottish Cup bedecked in red, white and blue then their eyes were well and truly opened by the humbling from Dundee United.

Straight from the first whistle the Gers played like a Third Division side. Woeful defending allowed Johnny Russell the opportunity to open the scoring and this was a day  to forget as the team lacked tactical and personal discipline, with a further two goals lost and the added embarrassment of Naismith and Black losing their heads.

So many failings were apparent and, sad to say, it does nothing but highlight the fact that Mr McCoist is struggling to silence the ever growing list of critics who are of the opinion that great Ranger that he was, Super Ally is just not the man to take the team forward.

It was scary to witness how ineffective and unconvincing so many of Ally’s summer signings were when faced up to the challenge of tackling McNamara’s men.

At the back, the central defensive partnership of Emilson and Perry was a shambles. Has anyone checked to see if Cribari really is the same guy who spent a few years plying his trade in Serie A?

Of course he is not helped by the fact has to play alongside someone who is out of his depth wearing a Rangers shirt, but the big Brazilian was at fault for the first two goals, demonstrating poor concentration and awful positional sense.

Shiels was, as he has been all season, a passenger offering nothing creative and it’s high time he is taken out of the team and replaced by Robbie Crawford.

Templeton’s form has dipped in recent weeks and how he managed to stay on the park for the full 90 minutes is a concern, surely he should have been hauled off for his inept showing?

Again questions must be asked of Ally McCoist’s abilities – too many players were way off the pace and lacking the fight required to tackle a team three divisions above. It’s his job to ensure that no one can accuse his teams of having no bottle, but unfortunately on the basis of Saturday’s debacle he failed to tick that box.

And then there is the problem of Ian Black.

I have never been a fan of this guy, I’ve not forgot THAT challenge on Jelavic, but like most bears, I assumed he would be a real asset in the rebuilding of the team. Yet, the fact of the matter is that he has been a massive letdown.

Okay, he did show some hunger and passion, attributes that were essential if the Gers were to do anything at Tannadice but I’m afraid his behaviour towards the end of the match leaves a real sour taste in the mouth.

Already down to ten men, calm heads were needed but the red mist descended around Black yet again and he deserved his marching orders but it was his antics afterward that were appalling.

He should have made a hasty exit from the park but his playing to the gallery like a pantomime villain was embarrassing and unworthy of someone wearing the famous light blue jersey and leaves Ally with the unwanted problem of having to deal with what to do with one of his more experienced players.

All in all it was a good day for the support not to turn up though I fear it will be very difficult for many bears to erase from the memory very easily.

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