Derek McInnes has once again made an absolute bottle job of his Rangers selection, and the consequences were painfully obvious at Tynecastle. For the second time in three matches, the Rangers manager got his tactics horribly wrong, and his side paid the price with another damaging draw. The only consolation from this latest McInnes Rangers disaster was Celtic dropping points themselves, handing the Ibrox boss an enormous get out of jail card.

Another Appalling Rangers Team Selection

Quite what McInnes was thinking when he dropped Badredine Bouanani for Djeidi Gassama is anyone’s guess. Bouanani had been showing genuine quality, offering creativity, intelligence and attacking danger. Yet McInnes inexplicably decided that the hopeless Gassama deserved the starting position instead.

The result was entirely predictable. Rangers lost attacking quality and struggled to impose themselves consistently on Hearts.

Meanwhile, the manager continued his baffling loyalty towards Emmanuel Fernandez, a defender whose performances simply do not justify his continued inclusion.

Fernandez has repeatedly demonstrated serious limitations, particularly with his decision making and defensive composure. Yet McInnes persists with him regardless.

McInnes Gets His Tactics Wrong Again

This was not some isolated mistake. Rangers supporters witnessed a similarly disastrous managerial performance at Dundee, where McInnes selected the wrong system and personnel before stubbornly refusing to correct his errors.

Against St Johnstone, Rangers returned to a more effective approach and secured a comfortable victory. Surely the lesson was obvious?

Apparently not.

At Tynecastle, Rangers took the lead through Kevin Kelsy, but McInnes completely failed to manage the match thereafter. Hearts emerged after half time and turned the contest around with two goals in nine minutes.

Rangers looked disorganised, vulnerable and tactically confused. Their manager appeared unable to prevent the momentum swinging dramatically towards the home side.

Only Olwethu Makhanya’s late equaliser spared Rangers an embarrassing defeat.

Celtic Hand Rangers a Massive Lifeline

The truly extraordinary thing is that Rangers have somehow escaped without losing further ground to Celtic.

The Parkhead side also drew, meaning Derek McInnes’ bottle job has been handed an enormous reprieve despite another deeply disappointing Rangers performance.

However, nobody should confuse that fortunate outcome with managerial competence.

Rangers have now dropped four points across two away matches in three league fixtures. That is simply unacceptable for a club supposedly challenging for the Scottish Premiership title.

Rangers Cannot Keep Carrying These Mistakes

McInnes deserves credit for the improvements he has made since arriving at Ibrox, but that does not excuse repeated tactical failures.

His selections against Dundee and Hearts were dreadful, his loyalty towards underperforming players remains inexplicable and his inability to control matches is becoming increasingly concerning.

Rangers should have won at Tynecastle. Instead, McInnes completely bottled the occasion.

Celtic handed him an escape route, but Rangers cannot depend on their rivals continuing to make the same mistakes.

Another performance like this against Aberdeen could end Rangers’ League Cup ambitions altogether.

Clarify the four point calculationReduce repeated tactical criticism