Heart of Midlothian fell to a 1-0 defeat to Rangers as the wait for a win at Ibrox continues.

There would have been concern early on when the home side took a six-minute lead through Cyriel Dessers. Hearts had chances in both halves to earn at least a point but they weren't to take them when they came their way.

They remain second bottom with just nine points after 13 games as they now head into the international break.

Joel Sked and Craig Cairns look back at the action from Ibrox.

Frustrating result

Every Hearts fan who had made the trip west will have been pondering the existential question of, 'Why do we bother?' after just six minutes when Rangers took a 1-0 lead through Cyriel Dessers. Heading home, they will be pondering the question of, 'How did we not get anything from that game?'. This Rangers team were there to not only get a draw but to beat. We used this description on Thursday after the Heidenheim game but it was another missed opportunity. The Rangers crowd grew increasingly incensed with their players and manager but the visitors couldn't take advantage. Hearts had the opportunities to do so, whether it through chances or getting into the right areas. But too often a lack of quality, sometimes decision making and maybe belief let the team down. Under Neil Critchley, the team are moving in the right direction. There is purpose to the team's play, an idea and a growing identity. They responded well after conceding early, had a shape which saw the home side play in a ponderous manner. But, still, there are times where the head coach and fans need more from players in certain moments, certain scenarios. The reaction from the away support at the full-time whistle said a lot. There was appreciation at the effort and desire. But there should be frustration at the end result.

The first half

Hearts made four changes from the side that lost midweek to Heidenheim and a return to a back four. Rather than a 4-2-3-1, Kenneth Vargas came in to play as part of a front two with Lawrence Shankland. Blair Spittal started on the left. The aim was to use the Costa Rican’s pace to get behind the Rangers defence, as well as to harry defenders in possession.

Though after an initial bright start, Hearts’ press was bypassed far too easily for Dessers’ opening goal. To start the move, Nicolas Raskin easily found space between the Hearts attack and midfield, something that happened a few times throughout the game with Neil Critchley turning around in frustration at one point when it happened after the interval. The away side were also struggling to pick up Vaclav Cerny throughout the opening 45 minutes.

Attacking-wise in the first half, it was disappointing that Hearts did not trouble Jack Butland’s goal much against an out-of-sorts Rangers. Their best opportunity came when Vargas chased down ex-Hearts defender John Souttar though the Hearts forward was unable to cut the ball back for Shankland as he was closed down by the goalkeeper.

Vargas

It was deja vu for the Costa Rican and the travelling support. The best chance of the game from Hearts came from a brilliant bit of link play from Lawrence Shankland, turning on the ball and sliding Kenneth Vargas through. The forward was one on one with Jack Butland and, after an initial poor touch, he managed to poke an effort past the Rangers goalkeeper only to see it rebound back off the post. While the finish wasn't similar, the moment was to that chance at Pittodrie when Hearts would fall to a 3-2 defeat. Through on goal, you need your striker to score. Even more so at Ibrox where, even if the home side were desperately poor, you need to take your chances. It was a chance and a game that summed up the 22-year-old's campaign so far. Plenty of endeavour, a willingness to run in behind, to pester defenders but when it comes down to it not delivering the productivity the team require. As such, he is not quite kicked on the way fans had hoped and even expected.

Musa returns

It has been 57 days since Musa Drammeh last took to the field. It feels like longer such has been the nature of the season. A lively second-half appearance off the bench at Celtic hinted at some promise as he caused some problems and went close to scoring. He was an unused sub in Steven Naismith's last match at St Mirren. But hasn't been seen since. Until Ibrox with neither Liam Boyce or Barrie McKay in the squad. The Spanish-born forward replaced Cammy Devlin as Hearts chased the game but he barely got a sniff in an attacking sense, his best moment getting a toe in when chasing back as Rangers broke. Now it will be interesting to see if he can now become a feature of Critchley's plans, even if it is off the bench.

Defensive unit

Aside from the way Hearts allowed Rangers to wander from their box to score the only goal of the game, which was a collective issue, the visitors were rarely troubled, certainly over a sustained period which is usually the case in Glasgow, only looking like adding a second in the closing stages as the game opened up. That harps back to Rangers being poor but at the same time the Hearts defence barely put a foot wrong with Frankie Kent and Kyle Rowles keeping Cyriel Dessers under check while the threat from wide was completely nullified. Daniel Oyegoke had a shaky start and can, at times, look uncomfortable in possession but was solid. James Penrice continued his excellent start to the campaign. There was a moment in the first half where, with Rangers on the counter, he used his pace to get back and put Vaclav Cerny under pressure when he shot at Craig Gordon. The left-back is one of the fittest in the team and it shows the way he bombs up and down the flank while displaying a brilliant attitude.