Worse Than Fernandez & Kim: McInnes Must Drop 2/10 Rangers Star After Hearts Draw

Rangers missed a valuable opportunity to close the gap on their title rivals after being held to a 2-2 draw by Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night.

The Ibrox side initially looked capable of securing all three points after Ryan Naderi and Kevin Kelsy combined for the opening goal, with Kelsy finishing the move to register his fifth goal of the season.

However, Hearts responded emphatically after the interval, scoring twice within the opening 12 minutes of the second half to put Rangers under pressure. Olwethu Makhanya eventually rescued a point for Derek McInnes’ side with a superb late header.

Although several Rangers players struggled at Tynecastle, Min-su Kim deserves some understanding given the circumstances surrounding his performance. Emmanuel Fernandez also endured a difficult evening, but Djeidi Gassama was arguably the biggest disappointment for the visitors.

Why McInnes should persist with Min-su Kim

Kim impressed during Rangers’ 4-0 victory over St Johnstone in their previous outing, operating on the left wing and producing an influential attacking display.

The South Korean youngster registered six key passes, created a major scoring opportunity and managed two shots on target, demonstrating the creativity he can offer in the final third.

Despite that performance, McInnes moved the 20-year-old to the right flank for the trip to Hearts. The change appeared to limit his effectiveness, particularly given the player’s preference for cutting inside onto his stronger right foot.

Dujon Sterling’s positioning at right-back also offered limited support in creating the overlapping runs that could have opened up additional space for Kim to attack.

The winger did make an error during the build-up to Hearts’ second goal, and his overall attacking numbers were considerably less impressive than they had been against St Johnstone. He finished without creating a major scoring opportunity or registering a shot on target.

Nevertheless, dropping Kim immediately would arguably be a harsh response to a performance in which his positioning and the team’s attacking structure appeared to work against him.

McInnes could get more out of the youngster by restoring him to the left flank, where he looked considerably more comfortable at the weekend.

Emmanuel Fernandez also comes under scrutiny

While Kim has a case for retaining his place, Fernandez’s display against Hearts raises different questions about Rangers’ defensive options.

The Nigeria international was part of a back line that conceded twice for the second consecutive away match, following the 2-2 draw against Dundee.

At Tynecastle, the centre-back appeared hesitant when engaging opposition attackers, occasionally allowing the ball to bounce before attempting to intervene. That lack of decisiveness gave Hearts opportunities to compete for possession and put the Rangers defence under pressure.

Fernandez won just two of his six ground duels, while winning four of five aerial contests. He also recorded ten clearances and two blocks during his 90 minutes on the pitch.

His passing accuracy stood at 71 per cent, highlighting another area in which Rangers could look for improvement as they attempt to become more reliable in possession.

With Ben Godfrey available as an alternative, McInnes has a potential option if he decides to change his central defensive partnership ahead of the next fixture.

Fernandez’s aerial contribution and defensive work should not be overlooked, but his struggles in ground duels and moments of hesitation may prompt the manager to reassess his selection.

Gassama’s 2/10 display puts his starting place at risk

Despite the concerns surrounding Fernandez and Kim, the harshest criticism following the Hearts draw was reserved for Gassama.

The winger was handed a starting opportunity on the left after Badredine Bouanani dropped to the bench, with Kim moving across to the opposite flank.

However, the decision did not produce the desired results. Gassama struggled to retain possession, offered little attacking threat and was unable to establish a consistent influence on the match.

His performance was particularly frustrating for McInnes, who was reportedly seen shouting instructions towards the winger during the first half. The Rangers boss also appeared visibly frustrated when Gassama surrendered possession.

The statistics underline the difficulties he experienced. In just 54 minutes on the pitch, the Mauritania international recorded only 19 touches and lost pos