Kris Commons insists Rangers' victory at Motherwell on Sunday changes nothing - claiming they remain "a million miles away" from where they need to be.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst 's side battled to a 2-1 victory at Fir Park under intense pressure following a midweek horror show in the Champions League. Goals from Malik Tillman and John Lundstram cut the Premiership gap on Celtic back to two points and provided a first step on the road to recovery from an already infamous 7-1 battering from Liverpool at Ibrox.
But pundit and former Celtic star Commons warned simply keeping heads above water won't cut it for long. He reckons Rangers' vulnerability has gone nowhere and suspects they could still "go to pieces" when faced with a higher level of opposition. He wrote in his Daily Mail column: " It's one thing surviving as a manager by digging out the odd result and keeping your head above water.
"But that's never going to be enough when you manage one half of the Old Firm. You always have to prosper. And, right now, Giovanni van Bronckhorst is a million miles away from doing that.
"For a Rangers boss to be successful, you are expected to win the league, add the odd cup and hold your own in Europe. You are held to a standard which is almost impossibly high at all times. Yet you know all of that the minute you sign on the dotted line.
"If you don't deliver on all fronts then questions will always be asked. One unconvincing win at Motherwell yesterday doesn't change any of that. The wider picture is that of a team that can go to pieces at any moment against better opposition.
"There's just no excuse for the manner of that 7-1 defeat to Liverpool last Wednesday. Listen, it's not easy when you are winning most of your games domestically against wasteful opponents and are suddenly facing a side which is filled with world-class players.
"If the same scoreline had happened at Anfield, it would have been more understandable. But at home, with such a tremendous backing from your fans, you have to feel you have half a chance. It's all very well people saying that Rangers were playing Elgin ten years ago. But five months ago, they were in the Europa League final.
"They beat Champions League quality sides like Borussia Dortmund to get there. So you can't have it both ways."
Rangers have been beset by an injury list that leaves Van Bronckhorst short of nine first team options - but Commons insists that excuse "doesn't wash". He claims the likes of John Souttar, who has barely featured since joining from Hearts in the summer, are not significant losses. Commons said: "Injuries are no excuse either. Every club gets them. You have to assume they will happen.
"I'm sorry, but John Souttar is no great loss. I just don't think he would have made any difference to Rangers.
"He's just not going to solve any issues in the SPFL let alone Europe. He's a decent but injuryprone centre-half who can handle the ball well enough but doesn't have a great turn of pace. Pinning the blame on an injury list that includes him just won't wash."
