🚨😳 SHANKLAND SPEAKS OUT AFTER RANGERS DEFEAT Lawrence Shankland has reportedly questioned WHY Rangers keep playing one particular player, claiming his performance played a major part in yesterday’s loss. 😱🔵 🗣️ “I don’t know why they keep playing him
The pressure around Rangers is no longer something the club can simply ignore. Lawrence Shankland has defended his team-mates and explained why he believes the players were committed to winning, but supporters will ultimately judge the squad on what happens next. The Hibs defeat has exposed weaknesses that must be addressed quickly, particularly when Rangers lose possession while committing numbers forward. The next match therefore becomes more than another fixture. It is an opportunity for Derek McInnes and his players to show that the painful defeat was a lesson rather than the beginning of another frustrating run.
The Rangers captain’s decision to defend his colleagues does not mean he has excused the mistakes. Shankland acknowledged that Rangers left themselves open and were punished by Hibs’ counter-attack. His message was that the players made a collective decision to chase victory, but they now have to understand how to attack without exposing themselves unnecessarily. That balance will be crucial. Rangers cannot become afraid to commit players forward, especially at Ibrox, but they also cannot allow opponents to find huge spaces behind the attack. If the same problem happens again, the criticism will become even louder
Rangers fans have heard plenty of explanations over the years. They understand that football involves unlucky deflections, shots hitting the woodwork and opponents defending stubbornly. What they want now is a team capable of overcoming those problems. Creating chances is encouraging, but scoring goals is what changes matches. Dominating possession is useful, but controlling the decisive moments is what wins points. Shankland understands the frustration, and his comments suggest the squad understands the responsibility as well. The next step is proving it.
Derek McInnes now has to find the right response. He cannot simply abandon the attacking approach because Rangers were caught on the counter, but he must make sure his players understand their defensive responsibilities. Against teams sitting deep, Rangers need patience, creativity and movement. Against teams looking to counter, they need protection behind the ball. The manager has to make those two ideas work together. If he can do that, Rangers can quickly recover. If not, every dropped point will bring another wave of scrutiny.
The chances Rangers created against Hibs will mean very little if similar opportunities continue to be wasted. A title-chasing side must punish opponents when openings appear. Shankland and the rest of the attacking players will be expected to take greater responsibility in front of goal. The supporters do not want to hear that Rangers were unlucky after every match. They want to see goals. They want matches finished before the final minutes. Most importantly, they want Rangers to stop giving opponents opportunities to steal points after controlling large periods of games.
A strong Rangers victory in the next fixture could change the atmosphere almost immediately. Confidence would return, supporters would have something positive to celebrate and the Hibs defeat would begin to look like an early setback rather than a major warning sign. But another poor result would have the opposite effect. Questions about McInnes, the squad and the team’s mentality would become significantly louder. That is why Rangers must respond now. There is still plenty of football left in the season, but there is no reason to make the challenge harder than it needs to be.
As captain, Shankland has taken responsibility for defending the dressing room. Now he has to lead the reaction on the pitch. That means demanding the ball, encouraging his team-mates and taking chances when they arrive. Rangers need their senior players to show personality when pressure increases. A captain’s job is not simply to speak after defeats. It is to influence what happens during the next match. Shankland has made his position clear. He believes Rangers deserved more against Hibs. Now he has the opportunity to help prove it
The Hibs defeat should serve as a warning. Rangers cannot repeatedly commit players forward without considering what happens if possession is lost. They must recognise when to attack, when to slow the game down and when to protect themselves. Those decisions separate good teams from title-winning teams. McInnes will know that. His players must know it too. The next time Rangers find themselves chasing a late winner, they need to make sure desperation does not replace organisation.
The league season is still young, and Rangers have more than enough time to recover. But every match creates another opportunity to build momentum or lose it. Supporters will not panic simply because of one defeat, but they will become increasingly concerned if the same weaknesses appear repeatedly. That makes the coming weeks extremely important. Rangers need victories, but they also need performances that demonstrate progress. The supporters want to believe in this team. The players now have to give them a reason to do so.
Shankland has defended his team-mates. He has admitted Rangers made mistakes. He has pointed towards the chances created and the fine margins that went against his side. But the excuses stop there. Rangers now have to turn those lessons into results. The Hibs defeat cannot be undone, but the response is entirely within their control. Win the next game, and the conversation changes. Win several more, and the early frustration becomes a distant memory. Drop more points, and the pressure will become impossible to ignore
