UEFA Cup Finalist gives honest Saints verdict and claims Gers star is 'struggling to adapt'
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Kevin Thomson knows all about the grind at Rangers between the challenge of balancing European football and the Scottish Premiership.
But the former Ibrox midfielder knows all too well that this is no excuse for failing to deliver at Rangers with fan pressure building in Glasgow.
After Rangers stormed to a 4-1 victory against OGC Nice in the Europa League, the club stuttered to a 1-0 victory on a turgid afternoon against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.
Kevin Thomson understands the criticisms of supporters, but genuinely believes the Rangers team deserve credit for digging out a result at McDiarmid Park.
The UEFA Cup Finalist also empathises with that Thursday to Sunday rhythm and suggests that the Gers cannot afford to slip up again before January's Old Firm derby at Ibrox.
Kevin Thomson: Rangers team deserve credit
"When the fans are a wee bit unhappy when you're winning you know kind of the way the story is going," Thomson told the BBC Scottish Football Podcast.
"I think a brilliant result through the week, I don't think anyone could've seen that coming.
"But I have to say they could've scored a few more, they could've (also) conceded a few more with how open the game was.
"I think to go to a tough place like St Johnstone, I don't think people should underestimate how difficult it is to play on a Thursday night and then you have the travel to go there.
"It ain't an excuse, it's just reality. I've been there, I've lived it.
"When you go as a Rangers player to McDiarmid Park everybody wants to beat you, it's a cup final for St Johnstone.
"The game is ferocious, it's a fight, you have to have the mentality and the dig to get over the line.
"And listen, the group have got over the line so they deserve the plaudits albeit they'll be small ones and albeit the fans will expect them to win they games.
"I think for the management and the staff and the group of players it gives them something positive to build on.
"But it's fair to say they're only a result away from being in a bit of bother really.
"They're almost in that predicament that they can't afford to lose any more ground on Celtic if they're going to make any sort of fist of it to come the second, to hope that (the next Old Firm game) can be one that they can try and narrow the deficit."
Robin Propper 'struggling to adapt' at Ibrox
Kevin Thomson has also been giving his two cents on under fire Rangers defender Robin Propper.
The Dutch centre-back was substituted at half-time in the 1-0 win over St Johnstone with the 31-year-old struggling with the Saints approach in the first half.
Thomson reckons that Propper is 'struggling to adapt' to life in Scotland and has 'underestimated' the physicality of football in Scotland.
But the former Rangers midfielder doesn't think it's curtains for the Dutchman just yet and is backing the ex-FC Twente captain to eventually make a big impact on these shores.
"I think the form of (Robin Propper) has got to be worrying," said Thomson. "He needs to learn quickly.
"I watched him against St Mirren and he had a torrid afternoon.
"I think he's probably underestimated what playing against a stereotypical centre-forward up here looks like.
"The hustle and bustle, the running the channels, the backing in. A lot of people would say 'c'mon that's normal, you're used to that'.
"But you would beg to differ if you watch continental football or European football, that sometimes centre-forwards are a wee bit more loose, it's a wee bit more technical, whereas he's having to use body contact, he's in duels, he's in fights, he's having to scrap all the time.
"He's also, which is probably a wee bit unique for him, and a lot of people underestimate this, centre-halves for the Old Firm have to play on the halfway line.
"So you have to leave yourself exposed with 30, 40, 50 yards behind you, it's the way it feels.
"So nearly every time the ball turns over you as a centre-back are going to have to run that channel with somebody that's strong, that's used to that, that wants to run the channel, that wants to get his team up the pitch, that's probably quite fast, quite body contact, strong.
"I think he's struggling to adapt at the moment but I think if he's a good player, which I think he is, he will adapt and he'll learn.
"The bit is and the argument is he has to learn really quickly."
