MARK Warburton has abandoned in his idealistic pursuit of footballing excellence and taken a far more pragmatic approach on more than one occasion during his 19 month reign at Rangers and enjoyed tangible results.

He must do so once again if he is to survive what is the most difficult spell of his time in charge of the Ibrox club.

The Englishman breezed into Glasgow in the June of 2015 with an impressive track record and considerable reputation as a result of his brief but successful spell at Brentford and pledged to deliver an attractive style of play which supporters would enjoy watching.

Read more: Patience in short supply for fans as same old problems trouble Rangers

To begin with, that is exactly what he did. Hibernian, St. Mirren, Queen of the South, Raith Rovers and Airdrieonians were all blown away in a blistering start to the season which had fans in raptures. Then opposition teams got wise to their tactics.

Defeats to Hibs and Falkirk and draws with Livingston and Morton saw his side’s once-commanding lead at the top of the Ladbrokes Championship disappear. To Warburton’s credit, though, he identified the problem and took action.

He realised that fielding Barrie McKay, Nathan Oduwa and Gedion Zelalem, all tremendously skilful, but inexperienced and youthful attacking players, could, at times, leave Rangers exposed.

His side may not have entertained as much as they did in the opening weeks of the 2015/16 campaign when he played centre half Dominic Ball as a holding midfielder just in front of his four man defence, but they certainly ground out results and ultimately secured the second tier title at a canter and won promotion.

It was no coincidence that Rangers were so poor defensively in the William Hill Scottish Cup final defeat to Hibs without Ball, who was suspended after being yellow carded in the semi-final win over Celtic, involved.

This term, too, Warburton has softened his stance on his charges building play gradually from the back and instructed them to go long when their rivals are playing a high-pressing game. He also replaced James Tavernier, whose frequent lapses in concentration had proved costly, with the more reliable Lee Hodson at right back.

Read more: Patience in short supply for fans as same old problems trouble Rangers

Those changes were directly responsible for Rangers beating, and beating comfortably, both Aberdeen and Hearts in December and moving into second spot in the Ladbrokes Premiership table.

But Warburton appears not to have learned from the errors of the past. All the old failings resurfaced in the remarkable capitulation to Hearts at Tynecastle last Wednesday night.

Why was Tavernier once again preferred to Hodson at the same venue where, just two months previously, his errors had led directly to a sorry reverse? Why were the visitors attempting to pass it out of defence on a quagmire of a pitch as their hosts worked tirelessly to close them down? Why select Emerson Hyndman, McKay and Jon Toral on such a poor surface?

Andy Halliday has been savaged by the Rangers support in recent days for carelessly losing possession in the build-up to Jamie Walker’s second goal. But he is not now, and has never been, a natural deep-lying midfielder. Is it fair, then, to expect too much of him as a playmaker?

Both Hyndman and Toral, who have joined on loan from Bournemouth and Arsenal, look quality footballers and good additions to the Rangers squad. But was it, with Harry Forrester, Halliday, Jason Holt, McKay, Josh Windass and Tavernier all available, strictly necessary bringing them in?

Clint Hill and Rob Kiernan had, up until the Hearts game, done well together at the heart of the rearguard. But wouldn’t strengthening at the back with another quality centre half still have been more advisable? It certainly seemed that way as the goals rained in through in the capital last midweek.

Read more: Patience in short supply for fans as same old problems trouble Rangers

Wanting a team to produce an entertaining spectacle for paying spectators is all well and good. But not if it comes at the expense of results. Resisting the temptation to revert to a long ball is commendable. But first you must have good enough players. It is quite apparent, and has been for some time, that Rangers do not possess the personnel to execute such an ambitious game plan.

Walter Smith was, despite spending two trophy-laden spells as Rangers manager, often derided for the decidedly stodgy fare that his sides served up. But he appreciated one key thing about position; it was vital that he avoided defeat above all else.

Rangers, who drew 1-1 with Ross County at Ibrox on Saturday to increase the disquiet among their support, have had a bad week and have suffered a setback in their bid to finish runners-up and qualify for Europe.

They have experienced such blows before under Mark Warburton and recovered and can do so again. To do so, however, there must be a realisation of what can be achieved with the funds which are available to him and the individuals which he has at his disposal.