Walter Smith has until Thursday midnight to strengthen his squad for the Champions League's qualification tie against FB Kaunas.

That is merely the most immediate problem vexing the Rangers manager.

It was not defeat, or even the nature of it, against Schalke 04 that will cause anxiety. Smith, after all, has long since wearied of the necessary evil of summer shadow boxing. Rather, he will have left the futuristic Veltins Arena discomfited by the stark confirmation of Rangers' stylistic limitations.

Injuries and the frustrations of dealing in ever decreasing circles in the transfer market left Smith with little option but to revert to last season's stodgy strategy. Saturday night's 4-5-1 formation elicited groans from those who anticipated an adventurous departure on the back of signing Andrius Velicka, Kyle Lafferty and Kenny Miller.

It took an outsider's view to sum up Rangers' scrawny state. "What has happened to Rangers?" Asked a Dutch journalist dispatched to chronicle the Fred Rutten era at Schalke 04. "I don't know any of their players."

So many performed out of their natural positions that few of the Rangers supporters, who appeared like pin-dots in this vast big top, were familiar with the line-up, either.

The paucity of Rangers' play against a Bundesliga side that hardly broke sweat should be counterbalanced by the unforeseen absences of six regulars, not least the influential captain, Barry Ferguson. None the less, the rest represent a rum and disorganised lot.

Smith's public utterances of satisfaction with his squad will almost certainly belie an inner realisation that he is in for another stressful season. No team can expect to prosper domestically or in Europe without a midfield. That Rangers were set-up for damage limitation in a pre-season friendly does not bode well.

Smith strung five players across the central area and only one, Kevin Thomson, can claim to have been in his natural position. The loss of Ferguson has compounded Smith's haste to get rid of Thomas Buffel. Rangers now have no identifiable attacking influence in the centre of the park; a flaw that has been exposed as much by Preussen Munster of Germany's fourth division as a slick Schalke.

Rangers now have four days to unearth an accomplished playmaker or proceed to the Champions League qualifier against FB Kaunas with caution. Lee McCulloch was again deployed in central midfield and looked as comfortable as a giraffe on ice. Christian Dailly, a centre back, played the holding midfield role and could not get to grips with the imperious Fabian Ernst.

Nacho Novo and Kenny Miller, strikers to trade, did not have the invention or composure to perform as competent wingers.

Rangers did not achieve basic functionality, far less demonstrate an imaginative streak, against Schalke. The Germans were speedier of thought and pass, with the uncontested supremacy of Ernst underlining Ferguson's absent influence. Dean Furman and John Fleck, Rangers' youth graduates, may lack experience and wherewithal but their enthusiasm alone would have illuminated a bleak Rangers side.

David Weir and Kirk Broadfoot were besieged throughout the game but creditably withstood the bombardment, save for Mladen Krstajic's near-post header that hardly reflected the one-way traffic.

Rangers need a midfield overhaul to be considered serious contenders for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Smith cannot afford to wait for Ferguson, Chris Burke and Steven Naismith to return from long-term injury.

Velicka's introduction in the second half was the only source of optimism for those supporters who had made their way to this out-of-place architectural gem on the outskirts of grey and gloomy Gelsenkirchen. The Lithuanian is far more adapt at playing in the lone striking role than anyone else on the overpopulated striking roster. Strong and keen, he almost scored an undeserved equaliser with a forceful header as Schalke began replacing an entire team.

Broadfoot's diligent display at centre back was spoiled by his lapse in concentration for the goal. After being unceremoniously dropped for the Scottish Cup final against Queen of the South, he has even greater motivation to confound his critics. On the evidence of Steven Whittaker's unconvincing display at right back, Broadfoot might still be Rangers' safest bet.

"It was hard to take being left out of the final, especially when I played every round before that but it made me want to come back even stronger," he said. "It was good to play alongside David Weir and to get a run at centre back because I had forgotten what it was like. I feel I did reasonably well considering but you cannot read too much into pre-season games."

Equally, the qualitative chasm between Schalke and Rangers cannot be ignored, especially since Smith's side will face similar calibre of opposition in the final Champions League qualification round if they overcome Kaunas. Smith is not oblivious to the problems that continue to afflict his patchwork team. Time and money are commodities in short supply.