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There was admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side handled this trip to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. Observers noted a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team squad that has now lost a team record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, Rangers at least fought hard during a second half when capitulation felt the probable outcome. Yet, the game was decided as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of such stature. Roma have eyes again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s dismal spell as the manager continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the visitors looked ominous. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the near post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to fire his team in front. A Roma team minus the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable results in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half possession from that point. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. The stadium, typically a boisterous venue on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were simply in the process of being outclassed.

The second period started against a curious atmosphere. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in tone, showed the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile career as a successful businessman in the US before leading a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious mood in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s management is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to gauge Roma’s continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and onto the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful chances were involved. The raft of changes from both teams meant this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited Roma fine. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this competition in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the point of making up the numbers.