5 QUESTIONS GERRARD WOULD HAVE BEEN ASKING AFTER CUP SHAMBLES

YOU suspect Steven Gerrard has done far more thinking than sleeping ever since the final whistle sounded at Tynecastle on Saturday evening. The premature end of domestic trophy hopes for a second successive season was a brutal blow to the Rangers manager. More than that, however, the abject performance of his team in such a crucial assignment left Gerrard admitting he had hit his lowest point since being appointed in the summer of 2018.

While there is no immediate prospect of the 39-year-old walking away from his first managerial post, Gerrard was clear about the need for some soulsearching as he sought answers to the form crisis that has wrecked hopes of success in Scotland since the winter break.

Only the former captain of Liverpool and England knows exactly what has been dominating his thoughts during the past 48 hours. But, here, Sportsmail takes a look at five key questions that may have been circulating around Gerrard’s mind.

1 WHO CAN I REALLY TRUST WITHIN THIS SQUAD?

THIS would seem the most obvious of all. On Saturday evening, Gerrard questioned whether his desperation to see Rangers win was matched by the players on the pitch.

While far from the first time he has delivered forthright criticism, this felt different. As if his competitive instincts had been insulted one too many times by the mentality of those he sent out to do battle.

Former Rangers striker Billy Dodds believes the ‘mainstays’ — including captain James Tavernier — are now under threat. Gerrard has consistently selected a senior core within his team but may now feel that an element of change is needed.

No one questions what Tavernier brings to Rangers in an attacking sense. Whether the right-back is the right man to captain the club is a different debate.

Tavernier’s error was costly against hearts but some others within Gerrard’s leadership group, which includes Connor Goldson, Steven Davis, the injuryhampered Ryan Jack and goalkeeper Allan McGregor, have encountered issues since the winter break.

Then there is Alfredo Morelos. Leaving out the Colombian after he returned late from a sanctioned trip to his homeland was unquestionably a bold decision but Gerrard clearly felt it was necessary. Time and again, Morelos has tested his authority through disciplinary lapses.

The 29-goal striker’s ban and subsequent form decline following his dive at Celtic Park has been a significant factor in the ibrox club’s woes.

2 HOW SHOULD THE SQUAD CHANGE?

iF Gerrard is to go again and attempt to stop Celtic winning ten-in-a-row, another summer of flux now looks nigh-on inevitable.

Support would come from the ibrox board but funds could also be raised through the sale of existing assets. Rangers are far stronger in this area than before Gerrard arrived.

Morelos still carries the biggest price tag, even if some suitors will look again at his 2020 form and the way he let Gerrard (right) down last week. A summer exit could now suit all parties and bring in finance to be reinvested.

Borna Barisic’s agent has also gone public on his expectation his client will move on before next term. The Croatia left-back cost £1.5 million in August 2018, with the likes of Roma, Napoli and AC Milan considering offering Rangers a significant return on that outlay.

Another sizeable profit could be banked on Glen Kamara. The Finland midfielder, signed from Dundee for a mere £50,000, remains on the radar of a number of English Premier League clubs. Fringe figures including Jordan Jones, Brandon Barker and Jon Flanagan, whose contract is ending, are likely to be moved on.

Some gaps could be filled through youth — with Nathan Patterson taking Flanagan’s squad place, for example — but spending money on additions of quality with the right profile will be an obvious key requirement. in that regard, Gerrard will look towards sporting director Ross Wilson to continue his work on improving the scouting network and offering a better chance of a higher hit-rate on signings.

3 HOW SHOULD THIS TEAM PLAY?

A FASCINATING one. The split personality Rangers have shown between the Europa League and domestic football is one of 2020’s finest sporting puzzles. Gerrard and his staff have exceeded all expectations on the continent. Last Thursday’s win in Braga was among the most noteperfect away performances by a Scottish club in recent memory. in terms of a team shape, where the opposition was pushed and how individuals took responsibility within a game plan that expertly balanced defence and attack, it was the ultimate expression of Gerrard’s 21 months in charge.

Three days later, Tynecastle looked as if it was playing host to an entirely different team.

First-team coach Michael Beale raised eyebrows when stating the European style better suited Rangers because of the reliance on long balls and physical power in Scotland, as well as the way in which games are refereed.

Beale’s criticisms of the domestic scene are entirely valid but this is the environment in which Rangers primarily operate. it is up to them to find a way to adapt and thrive within it over the entirety of a season.

There is a perception of inflexibility about the set-up Gerrard uses. That might be slightly unfair given the tweaks seen recently — and formation switches can only go so far if players wilt under expectation. Even so, there is a need to look at every way to win — in terms of both personnel and strategy — when sophistication is replaced by the sledgehammer.

4 WHAT PROGRESS HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE?

GERRARD wears his heart on his sleeve. Amid the disappointment felt on Saturday night, it may have been possible to forget the strides that have been taken from the shambles that preceded his appointment.

This term, greater progress in Europe has been accompanied by a first cup final, which should have been won. Exiting the Scottish Cup at the quarter-finals matches last season’s anti-climax.

if we assume Rangers win their game in hand against St Johnstone — not a given — then they would be the same nine points behind Celtic that they finished last year. Both clubs have