'Tough' – Billy Dodds picks out Rangers star who couldn't handle it v Kilmarnock

Robin Propper faced a “tough gig” dealing with Kyle Vassell as Rangers lost 1-0 to Kilmarnock on Sunday, Billy Dodds has said.

Speaking on BBC Sportsound (20 October, 12:55pm), Dodds picked out Propper as one of the Gers’ worst performers in the Scottish Premiership loss at Rugby Park.

The 30-year-old was replaced in the back four by Leon Balogun before Marley Watkins’ late winner for the home side, but not after being booked for a reckless challenge on Vassell.

Dodds said: “Propper looks a beaten man out of this back four already because Vassell has outmuscled him early on in the game.

“He’s not chucked it, but what he’s done is just, I don’t know – this is a really tough gig today, this is a tough match.

“(Propper) can’t handle the physical side of Vassell – he’s so strong, and backed off him at the wrong times.”

Robin Propper and Rangers defenders dismal in Kilmarnock defeat

Having been run ragged for 63 minutes of the game by Kilmarnock’s captain, Propper’s blushes were only spared by the fact that he wasn’t even on the pitch for Watkins’ late winner.

Substituted for Balogun, Propper’s withdrawal came after a second-half spell which summed up his day – lunging in on Vassell, getting nowhere near the ball, and picking up an injury and yellow card apiece.

John Souttar will be the villain of the day after his error from a long ball into the box allowed Watkins to escape and roll the ball underneath Jack Butland, particularly after an impressive international break.

However, had Propper been on the pitch – on a yellow card, no less – into the latter stages, who knows how Vassell and his Killie team-mates would have exploited the hapless Gers centre-back.

Balogun is arguably the only Light Blues central defender who hasn’t come away from Rugby Park with their reputation damaged, and with tougher tests coming up, that’s bad news for Philippe Clement.

In other Rangers news, one player has been singled out to succeed James Tavernier as the Light Blues’ captain at Ibrox.

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