The league isn't over — there are still four games to play — but losing the first of those "must-win" fixtures knocks the stuffing out of you. Hearts came from 1–0 down today and ground out a win, and that result leaves you wondering where the fight goes from here. To be fair, when you fail at the first hurdle your confidence takes a battering.

Hearts showed their steel

You could see it in their shape and the way they closed us down. Derek McInnes has them organised and hungry; they looked like a side who believe in what they're doing. It wasn't about flashy football so much as forward momentum, tight lines and grit. They found a way in the second half and then defended their lead the hard way — players rolling their sleeves up and seeing the job through.

Where that leaves Rangers

Truth is, today felt like a missed chance to grab momentum. We've looked shaky in moments where we used to be ruthless. If we're honest, beating Celtic always looked a tall order and after that performance it's hard to imagine us overturning Hearts either. Confidence is contagious — and so is doubt. We need character and a clearer plan of how to win the scrappy games, the kind Hearts keep finding when we don't.

On McInnes and the spending question

It's a fair question to ask how much backing Hearts have had this season, but I wouldn't hazard a guess on figures. What matters is that McInnes has the lads believing and the club backing the right areas. Walter clearly thought highly of him and with the right support he has shown he can get the best out of a squad in this league. Honestly, I'd sooner see Hearts lift the trophy than Celtic — I'd even congratulate them if they did.

Am I giving up on our chances? Not entirely. But I'm not lying to myself either — winning four from four feels unlikely based on what we saw today. It's a sour moment, but one that should spark some honest conversations about how we get the bite back into our performances.

Written by Thestigno1: 21 June 2026

Tags: match-review spfl injury tactics