Steven Gerrard got his team and tactics wrong and more talking points from Rangers' loss to Hearts

The Edinburgh club, who triumphed thanks to a second-half Oliver Bozanik strike, deserved to progress. Daniel Stendel, whose men are rooted to the bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership, will be hoping they can reproduce the display in the coming weeks and ensure their top flight survival.

But the loss has increased the pressure on Ibrox manager Steven Gerrard enormously and cast doubt over his very future. Opinion among the Ibrox support is now sharply divided despite their success in Europe.

Here are five talking points from Rangers’ latest domestic horror show and a glorious triumph for Hearts.

Gerrard got his tactics wrong

The pitch was tight and terrible, the weather wet and windy, the opposition uncompromising and the atmosphere intense. It wasn’t a match for pretty football. It called for everyone involved to roll up their sleeves, get stuck in, win 50-50 balls and come out on top in the physical battle first and foremost. Hearts did exactly what was required, Rangers did not.

Gerrard was right to question the mentality of his players afterwards. They failed to show the fight the occasion demanded. But his own contribution to the match was flawed too and he must shoulder his share of the responsibility.

His opposite number Stendel altered his normal game plan and reaped the rewards.

“It was tough to play out (from the back) so the manager decided we were going to play a certain way and it worked for us,” said Hearts forward Conor Washington. “We’ve caused ourselves a lot of problems playing out here and the manager wanted to be a bit more pragmatic.

“They were trying to play out and we caused them problems by pressing them. It was so fiery out there, the ball was just zipping off the surface. Was it a surprise that they tried to play out in these conditions? Yes.”

This was the third time that Rangers have travelled to Tynecastle this term and the third time they have failed to perform and prevail. Is Gerrard learning from his mistakes? It didn't look like it on Saturday? A less idealistic, more direct approach was required.

Morelos should have played

Gerrard was quite right to take disciplinary action against Alfredo Morelos after the Colombian returned a day late from a sanctioned trip to his homeland to visit his unwell mother last week and missed a scheduled training session on Thursday.

But leaving his first-choice striker and leading scorer out of such a difficult and important fixture, in which Florian Kamberi was cup tied, proved to be counter-productive.

The Glasgow club missed Morelos up front badly and didn’t trouble their hosts’ goal. Bobby Zlamal didn't have a save of ntoe to make. Giving the South American a stern rebuke and hefty fine would, considering the circumstances, have sufficed.

Spineless Rangers need leaders

Steven Naismith may, as the chorus of boos whenever he got on the ball showed, still be persona non grata with Rangers fans some eight years after his acrimonious departure from Ibrox club and ill-considered parting shots. But they would, as the old saying goes, love it if he played for their team.

The Scotland forward was in the ear of referee Steven McLean from kick-off to the final whistle, squared up to Gerrard on the touchline at half-time and cajoled, harangued and encouraged his team mates on throughout the 90 minutes.

Who did that for the visitors?

They have enough experienced professionals – Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, Ryan Jack, Connor Goldson, Allan McGregor and James Tavernier all started and Jermain Defoe came on – in their ranks. But every one of them was posted missing.

Rangers are lacking a dominant personality and vocal presence who leads by example on the park. Ross Wilson, their recently-appointed sporting director, must make bringing in individuals who can provide that much-needed leadership a priority this summer.

John Souttar is a loss for Hearts and Scotland

What cruel luck the centre half, who was stretchered off with an ankle injury early on, has had in his career. He was sidelined last season with hip problem. This term he spent over five months out with another ankle issue. Stendel fears his campaign is over.

Souttar’s latest setback is the last thing his club, rooted to the bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership, battling for top flight survival and set to play their Edinburgh rivals Hibernian at Easter Road tomorrow evening, needed. His country, too, will miss him in the Euro 2020 play-offs at the end of this month.

Scottish football needs VAR

Steven McLean and his assistants had a bad day at the office at the weekend. The referee failed to award Hearts a penalty when Rangers defender George Edmundson punched the ball inside his own area. Then he didn't send Hearts midfielder Loic Damour off when he slam dunked a corner into the Rangers net before half-time.

Modern technology would have helped the match officials. SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell confirmed at IFAB meeting in Belfast on Saturday that "VAR-lite" is being looked at. It can't come soon enough.