Rangers 1-2 Motherwell: Pitiful display shows Barry Ferguson just how deep the problems run at Ibrox

Even by his standards, the lack of self-awareness Philippe Clement showed in what proved to be his final pre-match press conference was jaw-dropping.

Asked for his view on the draw which pitted Rangers against Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the last 16 of the Europa League, the Belgian stated that, while he admired the success his managerial rival had enjoyed down the years, he didn’t care much for the style of play.

Clement’s remarks came less than a fortnight after his side had lost at home to Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup and two days before they’d suffer another defeat at Ibrox to St Mirren.

On both occasions, Rangers weren’t even capable of delivering the kind of chaos-ball which had sustained him in the job for 17 months.

Devoid of tempo, shape, belief and a plan, the players simply went through the motions in both of those matches.

It’s a pity, in some respects, that Clement didn’t hang around a little longer. Mourinho’s opinion on the all-singing all-dancing side which the former Monaco manager fashioned in Glasgow would have been intriguing and perhaps met with some sarcastic applause.

Skipper James Tavernier shows his frustration after Rangers concede a second goal at Ibrox

Lennon Miller and Luke Armstrong celebrate  Motherwell’s opening goal in their 2-1 victory

Clement may have left the building with a large severance cheque in his pocket, but the fruits of his labours were again laid bare on Saturday.

After belatedly getting some kind of performance out of this rudderless squad at Rugby Park, this was the day when the scale of the problem hit Barry Ferguson squarely between the eyes.

Despite suffering those back-to-back home defeats and talking the talk after the modest improvement in Wednesday’s second half in Ayrshire, the players produced another performance which was nothing short of pitiful.

As is the way of things in football, the latter days of Clement’s reign saw the manager’s head put in the stocks.

The argument being widely forwarded was that he was the root of the problem, a man who was preventing a talented group of players from showing their true worth. On this evidence, that wasn’t entirely accurate.

As with Queen’s, Saints and Kilmarnock, the home side’s attitude was appalling from the very first whistle against Motherwell.

It seems extraordinary that a side which has failed so frequently this season believes it can still coast to victory while in second gear, but that familiar approach was what did for them again.

While there was a slight improvement in the second period, it never came close to reaching the heights which saw the side rattle in four goals without reply in the stirring fightback they produced in midweek down the M77.

Even though Ferguson had seen the majority of home games in his previous role as club ambassador this season, what he witnessed in the first half on Saturday must have startled him. It was a new low being reached.

Listless, predictable and devoid of all belief, Rangers were second to every ball. They could easily have been three goals down at the break.

While no player in the home side earned pass marks in that period, the contributions of a few were simply unacceptable.

Robin Propper’s display at centre-half was lamentable. The Dutchman scarcely won a header and rarely found a man with a routine pass. He did well to last until half-time when he was replaced by Leon Balogun.

Jefte was all over the place. The Brazilian failed to make simple interceptions, lost runners and hit aimless passes straight out of play. It was extraordinary that the left-back played the entire match.

Ianis Hagi ran about, fell over and made no appreciable impact. Out of contract in the summer, the Romanian’s mind no longer looks to be on the job he’s still paid handsomely to do. Not that Nedim Bajrami, the man who replaced him at the interval, did much better.

Hamza Igamane has produced some fine moments for the side this season. There have been few in recent weeks. The Moroccan looks a shadow of the player who might well have attracted a bumper left-field bid in January.

One of the team’s better performers this season, Vaclav Cerny also had his poorest game in a Rangers jersey.

As for Jack Butland? The experienced keeper is doing little to ensure some pride is salvaged from this dismal season. His handling is suspect, his kicking is poor. The days when all the talk was of an England recall feel like they now belong to another age. Butland again didn’t cover himself in glory as Michael Wimmer’s side deservedly opened the scoring on eight minutes.

Cyriel Dessers turned the ball over cheaply. With Propper slow to get out, Butland’s attempt to deny Dan Casey was unconvincing. Luke Armstrong swept home the rebound and celebrated after a three-minute VAR check which clarified that he was onside.

Ferguson the player would then have rolled up the sleeves and demanded that those around him did something about it.

As interim manager, though, he’s saddled with players who are devoid of the requisite spirit.

James Tavernier’s 500th Rangers game was marked with an unforced error which led to the concession of a second goal on the half hour mark.

Lennon Miller took full advantage and found Callum Slattery. He fed Tom Sparrow who fired low across Butland’s goal and into the bottom corner with Jefte standing in a different postcode.

Only the fact that Sparrow had already buried a gilt-edged chance in the side netting gave Rangers a sliver of a chance of redemption at the break.

It said much that Ferguson’s players required a slice of good fortune to get a route back into the match. Miller’s attempt to cut out Ridvan Yilmaz’s pass took the ball away from Casey. Dessers, to his credit, finished smartly.

There were still 36 minutes to go at that point. Yet there was no concerted spell of pressure from the home side.

Sure, Danilo might have pinched an equaliser had he pulled the trigger rather than attempt to play in Dessers, but it would have been more than those in blue deserved.

Motherwell played all the football here. Their passing was sharp, they were organised, they defended their box well and attacked in numbers.

Wimmer has only been in the job a couple of weeks, but has already made quite the impression. He has a well thought-out plan and his players are executing it.

Almost a year after winning at Ibrox for the first time in the regular league season since 1997 under Stuart Kettlewell, the Motherwell fans who feared the campaign was flatlining a few weeks ago were again in raptures at full-time.

On the day when Ferguson became the first Rangers manager — interim or permanent — since Tommy McLean in 1983 to lose their first home game, the former captain must have wondered how it all came to this.

As he tries to make the best of a mess created by others, facing Mourinho in Istanbul on Thursday must hold limited appeal.

RANGERS (4-4-2): Butland 4; Yilmaz 5 (Sterling 84), Tavernier 4, Propper 2 (Balogun 45), Jefte 3; Cerny 3, Diomande 5 (Danilo 79), Raskin 5, Hagi 3.5 (Bajrami 45); Dessers 4, Igamane 4 (Lawrence 45).

Booked: Jefte, Bajrami.

Manager: Barry Ferguson 3.

MOTHERWELL (3-4-2-1): Balcombe 7; Balmer 8, Gordon 8, Casey 8; Sparrow 8, Halliday 7.5 (Zdravkovski 61) Andrews 7.5, Thompson 7.5 (Wilson 90); Slattery 8 (Paton 61) Miller 7.5 (Watt 73); Armstrong 7.5 (Moses 61).

Booked: Halliday, Sparrow.

Manager: Michael Wimmer 9.

Referee: Nick Walsh 7. 

Attendance: 50,056.