Barry Ferguson Sends Rangers Reality Check After ‘Disaster’ Claims Following Dundee Draw

Rangers have been urged to remain calm after their seven-game winning streak came to an end with a frustrating 2-2 draw against Dundee.

Derek McInnes’ side had enjoyed an impressive spell of form, winning six consecutive Scottish Premiership matches during a run that had helped build optimism around Ibrox.

However, that momentum stalled at Dens Park last weekend as Rangers surrendered points despite fighting their way into the lead.

Badredine Bouanani and Nicolas Raskin scored to put the visitors 2-1 ahead, but Callum Jones’ equaliser denied the Gers all three points.

Celtic’s emphatic 7-1 victory over Hearts added to Rangers’ frustration, leaving McInnes’ side four points behind their rivals in the title race.

Despite the disappointment, former Rangers captain and interim manager Barry Ferguson has urged supporters and pundits not to overreact to the setback.

Barry Ferguson understands Rangers supporters’ frustration

The draw sparked considerable criticism online and across the media, with some questioning whether Rangers’ recent revival was beginning to unravel.

For supporters who have endured years of disappointment, another setback after a promising run of results inevitably brought back familiar concerns.

Ferguson understands why the reaction has been so strong, but writing in the Daily Record, he argued that some of the criticism had gone too far.

The former Gers skipper described the response as an “overreaction” and a “knee-jerk” reaction, making it clear he would not join those predicting a crisis after one disappointing result.

Ferguson wrote: “I didn’t enjoy it.

“But I’ll tell you this much, you can leave me out of the knee jerk, overreactions which have been flying around since the final whistle sounded on that 2-2 draw.

“There’s a tendency these days for people to jump on the bandwagon at the first opportunity. ‘It’s a disaster! The wheels are coming off!’.

“I’m not surprised by it. In many ways, this has always been part of life at Rangers Football Club and in the west coast of Scotland.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world either because it’s part of what makes the club so special and so demanding.”

Ferguson’s comments underline his belief that Rangers should not allow one disappointing afternoon to overshadow the progress made during their winning run.

Rangers urged to keep their composure

There is an understandable reason why the Dundee result caused concern among Rangers supporters.

The club have experienced several false dawns over the past 15 years, with encouraging performances and winning streaks too often followed by disappointing results.

That history has made some fans wary of getting carried away when things begin to improve, particularly when Celtic remain strong in the title race.

However, drawing away from home against a Dundee side showing encouraging form under Steven Pressley does not necessarily signal the beginning of another collapse.

Rangers will undoubtedly be frustrated that they failed to protect their lead after Bouanani and Raskin had put them in front. The late equaliser represented two valuable points dropped in a competitive title race.

But there is still plenty of the season remaining, and McInnes’ side have already demonstrated that they can put together a sustained run of victories.

The challenge now is to respond positively rather than allow the disappointment to affect their performances in the weeks ahead.

St Johnstone clash offers Rangers chance to respond

Rangers have an immediate opportunity to put the Dundee draw behind them when they welcome St Johnstone to Ibrox this weekend.

A victory would help restore confidence and allow McInnes’ players to focus on closing the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

With Celtic having delivered such a convincing performance against Hearts, Rangers know they cannot afford too many more slip-ups if they are to maintain their title challenge.

Nevertheless, Ferguson’s message is clear: one disappointing result should not erase the progress made during the previous seven games.

Rangers must learn from the mistakes at Dens Park, tighten up defensively and turn their attention to the next fixture.

The pressure at Ibrox will always be intense, but Ferguson believes there is a difference between demanding better performances and declaring a crisis too early.

For McInnes and his players, the response against St Johnstone could provide an important indication of how well they can handle that pressure.