Matías Soulé along with Pellegrini on target as Roma overpower Rangers

Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, however, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid on the right path. There was a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers side that has now lost a team record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the probable outcome. Yet, the match was decided as a contest at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this represented only Roma’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the head coach lasted just over four months in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides lined up. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the visitors looked ominous. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the front post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire his team ahead. A Roma team without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness even with reasonable results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an effective centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. The stadium, typically a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been quietened nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously sinister in tone, depicted the duo with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the club owner thinks about all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not targeted the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is easy to understand; The team’s management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was played in on goal on the hour mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ best period of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to determine the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and onto the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of changes from both teams meant this game closed more in the style of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a last year, reached the stage of making up the numbers.