Rangers 3-0 Livingston: Boss Warburton can be pleased with the points but not the performance at Ibrox

Few sets of supporters will have headed for the exits after a 3-0 win this weekend with a sense of disappointment, and few groups of players will have shared some home truths in the dressing room rather than celebrated another three points.

When you have won your first nine games and scored five goals in each of your previous three outings, though, a somewhat pedestrian, if deserved, victory was never really going to cut it. For Rangers on Saturday, it didn’t.

Mark Warburton’s side may have made it ten-in-a-row and taken their Championship tally to a maximum 18 points but the manner in which another win was achieved was met with bemusement rather than joy come the full-time whistle. The points were welcome, but the performance was not.

The positives – Lee Wallace’s thunderous drive that opened the scoring, the neat finish from Martyn Waghorn, his first from open play at Ibrox, and a well taken Nicky Law goal – were clear for boss Warburton.

But, on the day Rangers paid tribute to the Armed Forces at Ibrox, the big guns in Light Blue failed to fire against Livingston.

It was, in part, down to a resolute, tireless performance from Mark Burchill’s side as they defended in numbers and frustrated Rangers for long spells, even though the final outcome was never in doubt.

The Lions may have been tamed, but the Ibrox roar was a more subdued one this time around as Rangers struggled to hit the heights they have done on so many occasions already this term.

Where in previous weeks the movement has been incisive, the passing crisp and the attacking phases entertaining, it was an altogether more laboured showing from Warburton’s side on Saturday. The win was still thoroughly merited, though.

It is a measure of how far Warburton has brought his team in recent weeks that a comfortable, straightforward 3-0 win is met with frustration from the stands.

Having shown what they are capable of, the expectation levels placed on the Gers squad have, from some supporters, undoubtedly risen, but those marks won’t be hit week in, week out.

The performance is, of course, important, but it is the points that are the main aim for Rangers as they set their sights on the Premiership once again.

“We spoke about the fans and sometimes 1-0 is seen as a poor victory so we’re aware of that threat and we have talked about it this week,” Warburton said.

“We have to work and communicate with the crowd about what we’re trying to achieve and what we are looking to do.

“What represents the performance isn’t just the goals, it is how we move the ball, how we rotate in midfield, how we keep our shape, how we press them and where we press them.

“There are many things that make a good performance and hopefully we can relay that to the crowd about what we’re trying to do.”

It was not just the Ibrox crowd that were left a little underwhelmed, if ultimately pleased, at the end of another win for Warburton’s side.

The frustration at the slower tempo to their play and misplaced passes took the edge off what was in the end another successful afternoon for Rangers and highlights how high Warburton has set the bar since arriving at Ibrox. This may not have been Rangers’ best performance, but it was hardly a bad one.

The pleasing thing for the manager was that his players recognised the drop off as much as he did as thoughts were shared and views exchanged in the dressing room afterwards.

Warburton’s desire for success, for improvement, is as tireless as his work ethic as he continues to make significant strides in a short space of time, but he will not allow the progress to slow down.

“We fell way below our standards in terms of looking after the ball, playing fast and making good decisions,” Warburton said.

“So it was good to have that inquest because maybe more good than bad comes out of those type of meetings and hopefully it sets us up well for the next run of games.”

That sequence of matches begins with a trip to Dumbarton on Saturday afternoon, a fixture that will see Rangers look to take another small step towards title glory by recording their seventh successive league triumph.

After facing the Sons, Warburton’s side will then be presented with their biggest test of the campaign to date when St Johnstone arrive at Ibrox for a League Cup third round tie a week tomorrow.

It will be an early indicator of where Rangers are, and how far they need to go, to be able to compete in the Premiership next season should they get there at the second time of asking.

Having welcomed the challenges laid down by Dave King this week, the chairman stating that Rangers could target a domestic cup this term and the top flight crown next time out, Warburton will hope to prove once again that his side are well on course and hitting the marks they need to be in terms of their progression.

The first objective is to put a bigger smile back on the faces of the fans, and themselves, though, and ensure Saturday was a blip and not the start of a slip.