adminKris Boyd has raised fresh concerns about Rangers’ current situation after the club finally recorded its first Scottish Premiership victory of the season with a narrow 1–0 win over Aberdeen.
The result at Pittodrie was welcomed by Rangers supporters, but the manner of the victory has continued to generate debate. Lawrence Shankland’s second-half penalty proved decisive, giving Derek McInnes a much-needed league win after a difficult start to his reign.
However, former Rangers striker Boyd believes the club cannot rely on penalties and moments of individual quality if it wants to challenge seriously at the top of Scottish football.
Rangers had to withstand considerable pressure during the match, while Aberdeen thought they had equalised through Kevin Nisbet. The goal was eventually ruled out following a VAR review for offside, allowing Rangers to escape with all three points.
For Boyd, the victory does little to disguise the wider problems facing McInnes.
The Sky Sports pundit has been increasingly critical of Rangers’ squad construction and has questioned whether the current group possesses enough creativity and balance to compete consistently.
Boyd has reportedly called on Rangers to clear out several players before the transfer window closes, suggesting that as many as five, six or even seven departures could be required. He believes the squad has become too large and that the club needs to make difficult decisions rather than simply adding more players.
One of the major issues highlighted by Boyd is creativity.
While Rangers have been linked with attacking reinforcements, the former striker believes the club needs to address other areas of the pitch as well. In particular, he has pointed to the absence of a midfielder capable of connecting the team and consistently creating opportunities.
Boyd has also singled out Nicolas Raskin for praise, describing him as Rangers’ best midfielder “by a country mile” while questioning why the midfielder has not been featuring more prominently.
That situation has added another layer to the growing debate surrounding McInnes’ selection decisions.
The Rangers manager desperately needed a positive response at Aberdeen following the club’s European disappointment and a difficult opening to the domestic campaign. His team eventually delivered the result, but the performance left plenty of questions unanswered.
Boyd had already warned before the Aberdeen match that the pressure on McInnes was becoming severe. He questioned whether the Rangers job was proving too demanding and argued that a lack of trust between the manager and his players was becoming increasingly obvious.
The victory at Pittodrie has eased some of that pressure, but it certainly has not removed it.
Rangers supporters will now expect the club to use the remaining days of the transfer window intelligently. With the squad needing greater balance, creativity and consistency, McInnes faces important decisions over which players remain part of his plans.
The manager will also know that winning matches through penalties alone is not a sustainable formula.
Shankland showed composure from the spot against Aberdeen, firing his penalty into the top corner, but Rangers need to create more clear-cut opportunities from open play if they are to compete for major honours.
For now, the three points are the priority. But Boyd’s warning is clear: Rangers cannot allow one narrow victory to hide the problems that remain within the squad.
The coming days could therefore be crucial, with both incomings and potential departures likely to shape McInnes’ Rangers project for the remainder of the season.
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