One game into his Rangers tenure, Derek McInnes has already seen enough to understand the scale of the task. What he witnessed at Tannadice on Friday night was a performance laced with laziness and complacency from key players he inherited, a group that can hardly claim a winners' medal between them.
McInnes went into Auchenhowie this summer with his eyes open. He knows an underachieving squad when he sees one, having exploited their weaknesses while at Hearts last season. Even so, the complete lack of purpose on the pitch may have caught him off guard as Rangers picked up where they left off.
A familiar, unsatisfactory start
Another sloppy, half-hearted display cost Rangers points in a 1-1 draw. McInnes made no attempt to sugar-coat it in his post-match assessment, admitting his side deserved nothing more. The manner in which his players set about digging themselves into the same old hole will have tested his patience.
One look at Dundee United's opening goal tells the story. Emmanuel Fernandez was at fault, jogging back as Lachlan Rose accelerated, allowing the Australian to stab home from five yards. It was the kind of Sunday league concession McInnes would likely regard as a personal insult. To compound matters, Fernandez then threw out his arms and pointed fingers at team-mates, accusing them of not covering for him.
Fernandez, a Nigerian international, has the swagger of a player who believes he is destined for the top. But if he continues to defend as if the result does not matter, he may find this is as far as his ability will take him. He might soon be watching from the manager's bench.
Fernandez in the spotlight
The big defender was widely regarded as the best of a bad lot last season under Russell Martin, but he is symptomatic of a group that believes it is better than it is. Rangers finished third in a two-horse race and added no silverware, a fact that should have served as a wake-up call.
That explains why McInnes has already brought in eight new signings and will keep adding before the transfer window closes. He has clearly concluded that many players recruited by previous managers cannot be trusted to deliver.
Fernandez will need to shake himself out of his malaise, especially with Ben Godfrey injured after limping off in the second half. McInnes will likely have to rely on him again in Thursday night's Europa League qualifier first leg in Poland against Jagiellonia Bialystok.
Recruitment urgency
The clock is ticking. While McInnes will be encouraged by the activity in the market, he is still crying out for wide men and difference makers in the final third. Rangers look slow and predictable in attack, which leaves them vulnerable at the back.
There are goalscorers in the squad, but they cannot be expected to produce numbers without proper service from players with pace, craft and imagination. McInnes will be knocking on the recruitment department's door on Monday morning to check on the status of unfinished business, and Dan Purdy and Robbie Thelwell would be well advised to have meaningful answers.
Unlike some of his players, McInnes has no desire to leave this job any time soon. He has finally arrived at the place he always wanted to be. But he knows he may not get the chance to stay long unless he fixes things quickly. If he feels undermined by anyone who does not share his drive, he will not hesitate to be ruthless.
