Rangers icon Kris Boyd believes interim manager Barry Ferguson will leave several players disappointed as he prepares to make wholesale changes for Thursday's crucial Europa League quarter-final first leg against Athletic Club at Ibrox.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the European clash, Boyd highlighted the inconsistency in Rangers' performances, particularly noting the difference between domestic league games and higher-profile matches.
"I just look at them right now and I think it seems to be individuals are performing at home and it's not a collective team effort. Whereas, in Europe and in Celtic games everybody is fighting together for the same cause," Boyd explained.
"Barry Ferguson has a lot of decisions to make between now and tomorrow night. I'm sure he will have a team. I'd imagine he will have a team in his mind that he wants.
"You would imagine there will be a few disappointed players there today because he has said that he's going to make changes. And because he's said that, if he doesn't make changes then the other ones will be saying 'well what was the point in saying it'."
Read more:
-
Barry Ferguson admits mass Ibrox exodus was a 'sore one to take'
-
Jimmy Thelin targets Pittodrie double over Rangers as Aberdeen hit form at right time
Rangers are already dealing with key absences which will force changes to the starting lineup.
"[John] Souttar is out suspended and [Mohamed] Diomande is out, so those two have to come out," Boyd pointed out.
Perhaps the most significant selection dilemma appears to be in goal, with Jack Butland's position as number one under scrutiny.
"The goalkeeping scenario, I don't know what Barry decides to do there. There's no doubt that Jack Butland is Rangers' No.1 but he's made far too many mistakes," Boyd stressed.
"Liam Kelly has came in for five or six games, and I know people will point to the mistake, or the so-called mistake, at Hibs, but when you look at his performances against Celtic, Aberdeen as well, he knows he's probably thinking to himself I just need this opportunity. I want to get back in," said Boyd.
"So, Barry has got a lot of decisions to make."
"He's said it's not going to be pretty between now and the end of the season. That for me, suggests that it's going to be a defensive unit that will look to try and hit on the counter-attack," the pundit highlighted.
"That's the way Rangers have played in Europe and against Celtic, and it's worked. I don't think it works against the rest, and Barry will need to come up with another formula to get results domestically."
While this approach has proven successful in European competitions so far this season, the challenge will be executing this strategy against Athletic Club.
"But in terms of Europe, that midfield five with the box in the middle and the one striker in [Cyriel] Dessers has worked, and he will be hoping that it works again tomorrow night against Athletic Club, but it won't be easy," Boyd concluded.
"Make no mistake this is a step up for Rangers and they are going to have to perform if they are going to get anything because of the pace and the trickery they have got in the wide areas with the Williams brothers, and you just feel for Rangers that this is probably the level where you need everybody to perform if you are going to get anything.
The Europa League quarter-final first leg kicks off at Ibrox on Thursday night, with Rangers hoping to secure an advantage before the return leg in Bilbao next week.
