Rangers have got 99 problems but the pitch ain't one – Pundits react to 'embarrassing' Dens debacle

Rangers' title charge has been seriously dented over a nightmare 72 hour period to forget.

Philippe Clement and his troops headed into the weekend trip to Ross County trailing rivals Celtic by four points but suffered a shock 3-2 defeat in Dingwall as they failed to close the gap. It meant a trip to Dens Park – the THIRD attempt to get the game on – was a must-win for the Ibrox men as they looked to move back to within a point of Brendan Rodgers' side heading into the league split.

However, rather than the big reaction required, it was a lacklustre performance – although Clement took a different view post-match – in Tayside as Rangers dropped further points in a midweek stalemate. The large travelling support vented their fury at full-time as the Hoops were handed the initiative at the league summit with five games to play. The gap between the duo now stands at three points with the men from Glasgow's east end boasting a superior goal difference of five in their favour. The pair will go head to head at Parkhead next month in now a do-or-die clash for the men from Govan. Here's how did the pundits react post-match at the Scot Foam Stadium.

Kenny Miller

"You say that the timing of the season to hit this kind of run is just the worst time for Philippe Clement and his team. They've not done enough tonight or turned up. There was no real reaction from that loss at Ross County at the weekend. Philippe Clement will be really, really disappointed with the performance, the result and definitely his players tonight."

Kris Boyd

"They are coming into this fixture with the whole problem being about the pitch. At this moment in time Rangers have got 99 problems but the pitch ain't one.

"When you go back to the Celtic game and we say they came out of it with positives. You are at home with an opportunity and you've got yourself back into the league. I know people will turn around and say from where we were we've come on leaps and bounds but you are in a title race and battle. You've got an opportunity at home against your rivals to go and win.

"Yes, the way the game panned out Rangers would have bitten your hand off for a draw because how dominant Celtic were in the first half. But I felt Rangers had to win the game. When you look at going to Celtic Park it has been very difficult.

"For Rangers to go there and have to win a game of football is going to be very difficult. When you look at results it has not been good enough. What's that? two wins in eight now. It is the wrong time of the season to be dropping points and losing games.

"You cannot depend on your right-back to bail you out. I'm sorry you just can't. It is impossible. Rangers need more from their forward players and they are not getting it at this moment in time. "

Chris Sutton

"We spoke about a lack of combination play. We all felt we would see a different Rangers in the second half. A little bit like the game at Dingwall at the weekend but it didn't happen. There was no real speed or pace to the passing. It was slow and pedestrian.

"What did that allow Dundee to do? It allowed them to get into their shape. Made it difficult to play through and actually Dundee saw this game out pretty comfortably and deserved the point.

"We all felt the same thing before the game. This was must win for Rangers. Talk about handing Celtic the initiative. They did it at the weekend. They had to come here and win and now essentially Celtic can still lose on their own patch and have the possibility of winning the league.

"The way Rangers have played in the last two games, I would suspect they will play like that again. How are they going to turn this around? This whole pitch gate scenario and Philippe Clement talking about that affecting the preparation for Ross County. Has that got in their heads? Has that affected them? Performance levels the last two games have been miles off. Cheered off at Ibrox at the Celtic game, jeered off by their own support tonight. That was an embarrassing display by them."