Where did it all go wrong? Walter Smith must have been mindful of the legendary tale surrounding George Best as he awoke yesterday morning to discover his Rangers team were, according to hyperbolic media reports, in the midst of a full-blown crisis.

While Best's "downfall" was to be reportedly found in bed with several bottles of champagne, a suitcase full of cash and a former Miss World, Smith finds himself facing hostile questions about the capabilities of his team less than a week after guiding them to the UEFA Cup final and with a domestic treble also still a distinct possibility.

Some crisis. And yet, churlish as it may seem given all they have achieved so far, it would be remiss not to acknowledge that Rangers are a team currently struggling to reach top form.

The black art of Wattenacio may work wonders in the two-legged format that is European competition but few teams have ever won a domestic league championship on the back of a succession of goalless draws.

Rangers have not won a match in 90 minutes since a 2-0 defeat of Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup, six games ago. Their last league victory came against Celtic on March 29. Sunday's draw with Hibernian now means Smith's side will probably need to win their remaining five matches in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, based on the premise that a rejuvenated Celtic will not slip up at home to Hibernian or away to Dundee United.

On current form, it looks a mammoth task for a Rangers side who have not scored in three of their previous four matches but who retain, usually among their substitutes, a natural goalscorer in the shape of Kris Boyd.

Still Rangers' top marksman this season, Boyd emerged as a late substitute at Easter Road on Sunday for his first appearance since that cup victory at Firhill.

Much has been made of Smith's reluctance to use Boyd as a lone striker in his preferred 4-5-1 formation. The manager, perhaps aware of the pressing need for his team to drastically improve their lot in front of goal, switched to a 4-4-2 against Hibernian, albeit with little success.

It is the system that has traditionally brought the best out of Boyd. With consecutive home games against Motherwell and Dundee United to follow later this week, the striker may be set to finally emerge from the shadows to play a prominent role in the title run-in.

"I'm never one to tell Walter what to do but I think a lot of people were surprised that Boydy never started against Hibs," said Kevin Drinkell, the former Rangers striker now combining matchday reporting for the Press Association with his role as a director of 110 sport management.

"That maybe indicates that he might get more action against Motherwell on Wednesday. It's always easy after the event to say what should have happened but if Cousin had scored against Hibernian and Rangers had won the game then nobody would have been worrying about a lack of goals and whether Kris should get a game or not.

"But he is a goal machine. That's what he brings to the team. With the way Walter has set the team out this season, especially in Europe, we can all accept that Kris doesn't fill that role as a lone striker. But Walter went with two strikers up front against Hibernian in a 4-4-2 formation and Kris has proven over the last three or four years that he can score goals in that system.

"Kris has got goals in him. He's nerveless as he showed in the final of the CIS Insurance Cup against Dundee United when he came on and scored twice."

The 4-5-1 formation has provided Daniel Cousin and Jean-Claude Darcheville with distinctly more gainful employment than it has done for Boyd. Drinkell believes both excel when asked to perform alone in attack but are less effective when twinned with another striker.

"Both are suited to the lone striker role. If it's a 4-4-2 with good width then you probably don't get the benefits of Darcheville's mobility and pace or Cousin's strength as they wouldn't be required as much.

"But when you're a lone striker you've got to have that work ethic and a bit of pace about you. Whether Walter decides to stick with 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 remains to be seen.

"They probably have to win their remaining league games but if he feels he still has enough strength in midfield with Barry Ferguson supporting the lone striker, and everyone is fit and available, then he might stick with 4-5-1.

"It might seem defensive but sometimes when they've played Nacho Novo, Chris Burke or Steven Naismith in the wide areas, and all with a bit of pace, it's as much a 4-3-3 on those days as it is a 4-5-1.

I know throughout my career I preferred to play a 4-4-2 with another striker beside me to share the workload but it's all about getting a balance."

Rangers' progress to the latter reaches of four competitions has come at a price. Drinkell believes injuries and suspensions have both reduced Smith's options from the bench and also eliminated any element of consistency in his team selection.

"As much as the games have caught up with them, the injuries and suspensions are the biggest downside to their success. Walter doesn't have all the players available to him.

"He might have three or four players to pick from for one striker's position but he's not been able to pick the same team in defence or midfield. KevinThomson and Barry Ferguson have been suspended, there have been injuries here and there and they've lost a bit of natural width which has slowed them down too.

"These are all alternatives to try to change games when people are making it a bit stuffy for you and Walter's been deprived of that. It's alright bringing on different forwards but if you're not getting the service to them then . . ."

From rank outsiders less than a month ago, many bookmakers now make Celtic joint favourites with Rangers to lift the title. Gordon Strachan's side have just two league games remaining, at home to Hibernian and then away to Dundee United, but Drinkell believes there are no guarantees they will win both of them.

"The goal difference means Rangers have no real error for margin. But Celtic have struggled at certain parts of the season - why are they suddenly a stick-on to win every game? They sneaked it against Motherwell but it's no certainty that they will beat both Hibs and United in their last two games."