However, away from the lack of clinical edge at the top end, it cannot be ignored that Rangers shipped four goals and were fortunate not to have conceded more.
The defeat marked the first time the Ibrox club had shipped four goals at home in the Europa League/Uefa Cup – and for only the third time overall in Europe.
Slack play throughout was their downfall as Lyon’s top-quality attack of Alexandre Lacazette, Rayan Cherki and Malick Fofana preyed on their errors.
Rangers’ shape, particularly in midfield, has been a source of criticism this term and it was unconvincing again on Thursday, playing a part in the visitors being able to regularly slice through the hosts.
Despite going into the game following four straight clean sheets, former Ibrox striker Steven Thompson expressed doubts about his former side’s performance level and suggested their wins had been papering over cracks.
Speaking on Sportsound, he added: “Rangers had built up a wee bit of momentum with the four clean sheets, but the performances, Malmo apart, haven’t been great.
“So maybe they’ve been masking with results instead of performances. The manager will try to get a rhetoric of ‘it’s looking good’. But is it? That’s the question.”
