Zenit's zest shows Smith what Rangers are missing

IN LOSING the Uefa Cup final to Zenit St Petersburg the other night, Walter Smith would not discover anything about his team that he did not already know. This awareness would be comprehensive, too, covering both their strengths and weaknesses, but with particular emphasis on the latter.

It was, indeed, only the 2-0 defeat by the Russians that allowed the Ibrox manager to admit in public for the first time to the deficiency that most observers had long since recognised: that his squad lacks the flair and creativity that was the most distinctive difference between the teams at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Such a flaw is almost invariably exposed as an insurmountable handicap by European opponents of the verve demonstrated by Dick Advocaat's side. But in Rangers' case, the fact that it did not hinder their progress all the way to the climax of the tournament tended to obscure the probability that actually winning the trophy would be an unrealistic expectation.

Any inclination to be hyper-critical of Smith's tactics and his team's often tedium-inducing emphasis on the kind of smothering defensiveness that is designed to prevent rivals from indulging their skills, however, should be tempered by a recollection of Sir Alex Ferguson's remarks in The Scotsman on Tuesday.

In paying tribute to his old friend, the Manchester United manager recognised the limitations of Smith's squad and used it to underline the latter's astute manipulation of his resources.

More significantly, he added, "What you're seeing from Rangers now is not necessarily what you'll be seeing a year or two from now. As his resources get better and he gets in other players, you'll see a re-shaping. That's how exceptional teams are developed, over a period of time."

Those are encouraging words for those Rangers supporters who have made their way north from Manchester over the past 48 hours, doubtless deafened by the endlessly echoing sound of dreams shattering.

Even if it had become obvious from the opening minutes of the final that Zenit were more skilful, imaginative and aggressive than Smith's team – the two full-backs, Aleksandr Anyukov and Radek Sirl, operated largely as marauding wingers – the fact that the game had reached the 72nd still scoreless had continued to fuel the hope that Rangers could once again, somehow, engineer the penalty shoot-out at which they have become well-practised experts.

The possibility was ended by the virtuosity of the man of the match, Andrei Arshavin, whose lacerating passes through an often impenetrable defence brought the goals from Igor Denisov and Konstantin Zyrianov that were the least the Russians' play had warranted.

It will be tempting for many to argue that Rangers' approach to the match was almost scandalous, that in order to win a major cup final, a team has to be prepared to take risks and show greater willingness to try to inflict damage by moving forward in numbers.

But, as the match unfolded, it was impossible not to be struck by the likelihood – admittedly, a hypothetical one – that, had Rangers plotted a more adventurous course, they would have been wrecked much earlier, and possibly more comprehensively, by the quick, intelligent and incisive counter-thrusts of Zenit. The least complicated and most fundamental difference between the teams was that Advocaat's had better players.

On the assumption that the profitable, protracted run in Europe – six group matches in the Champions League and nine in the knockout phase of the Uefa Cup – will greatly enhance Smith spending power, the manager will surely strengthen significantly in the close season.

Nobody, however, should anticipate a sudden rush of recruits of the kind of relentless, exhilarating aggressiveness associated with Ferguson's United. Smith has always been a pragmatist, even on his first tour of duty at Ibrox showing a preference for a midfield loaded with industrious ball winners and featuring no more than one flair player.

It is a philosophy he continues to embrace, as he confirmed when he was asked before the Uefa Cup semi-final with Fiorentina what were the qualities he admired most about Italian coaching. "The pragmatism and work ethic," he replied, strikingly avoiding any mention of Mediterranean skill and inventiveness.

More immediately, of course, Smith's priority is to try to effect a recovery of morale and spirit in his players after Wednesday's disappointment.

With three Premier League matches and a Scottish Cup final to be negotiated in the eight days starting at Motherwell tomorrow, Rangers still have it within their power to complete the treble of domestic honours.

They will not encounter rivals of the quality of Zenit in any of those assignments, but their most formidable obstacle could be their own psych- ological condition, the poss- ibility that the jolting experience of the European defeat will have impaired their self- belief.

Smith draws encouragement from the previous occasions this season when his players have faced a similar challenge, most notably when they overcame the effects of the Champions League battering by Lyon at Ibrox to embark on a long, unbeaten run that made them favourites to regain the SPL title.

It is also one of football's enduring truths that players very rarely grieve long over set-backs. There is an in-built resilience about dressing-room humour that quickly dispels disappointment and brings a readiness to move on to the next challenge.

What is probably of more concern is that all three remaining league fixtures are away from home – at Fir Park, Love Street and Pittodrie – and Rangers have taken only two points from their last four, winless visits to opponents' grounds. In the circumstances, Motherwell may seem as daunting as Manchester.