There was hardly a pause for breath. Walter Smith was ushered from the bright lights of the official UEFA press conference after Thursday's remarkable 2-0 victory over Werder Bremen towards a corner of the Ibrox tunnel. There he addressed the Scottish press on tomorrow's Scottish Cup tie against Hibernian.

The press pack had barked and the UEFA caravan had moved on. Yet the win over Bremen deserves further reflection, particularly on the eve of seven days in which Rangers take on Hibs, travel to Bremen and then play in the CIS Insurance Cup final against Dundee United. "We are at the start of what is going to be a really busy period for us," said the manager laconically.

The Bremen game at Ibrox, though, hardly came after a period of prolonged rest and recreation, yet Rangers were bright, industrious and technically astute.

The Germans are an excellent side. They are strong, athletic and create chances almost at will. This undeniable evidence has been gleaned from regular sightings of Bremen in live matches on satellite television. Yet Rangers reduced them to mediocrity.

Significantly, they also blunted their creative force. Certainly, Tim Wiese, the feckless German goalkeeper, donated one goal to Rangers and made a generous contribution towards the other, but concentration on this aspect of the match ignores more substantial truths.

The first is that Smith was tactically sound. Christian Dailly and Brahim Hemdani forced Diego into a prolonged sulk. Bremen did not make a clear-cut chance.

Rangers, too, were enterprising in possession, particularly when they gained confidence after the first goal. Barry Ferguson and Steve Davis are forming a promising partnership, Daniel Cousin looked like a striker valued at £3m and Allan McGregor was confident and commanding in goal. Carlos Cuellar had a couple of uncomfortable moments but Davie Weir was steadier than in last week's Aberdeen match or in Athens against Panathinaikos.

The overall improvement in Rangers' team may be personified by Kirk Broadfoot, who seems to be following the Alan Hutton path. Initially greeted with barely disguised disdain, he has now moved on to pleasing competence. No one is suggesting he is a £9m player, or will be, but he has made significant strides in a short space of time.

And so have Rangers.

The mutterings about Smith's tactics could not be heard over the din of the Ibrox stands greeting an astonishing victory. There have been quibbles about the Rangers manager playing one up front.

But most European sides play the same way. The trick is to keep possession so that the midfield can join up with the attacker. Rangers were much more assured about this aspect of the game on Thursday than at any other time of the season. This was a very good win that reflects well on the players and management. It should be remembered as such, though the blur of games means that quiet reflection is drowned out by noisy prediction.

And so to Hibs. Smith made it clear that both the setup and the personnel would be changed for the Scottish Cup tie. "We have a big enough squad," said Smith, who indicated he would talk to players individually to see how they were reacting to the rigours of an exceptional season.

Neil Alexander, of course, will come in for the suspended McGregor. Steven Naismith and Chris Burke may form part of a 4-3-3 as they did in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League game at Easter Road. Cousin is likely to continue at centre-forward as Smith is concerned about the amount of game time the Gabonese striker missed amid the wrangle over his proposed transfer to Fulham. Andy Webster and Steven Smith are edging closer to a first-team return but may need another reserve team match before being considered.

"It's a huge challenge," said the Rangers manager of the coming week, adding: "Hibs are one of the few teams to win here this season."

But he has been impressed by his side's appetite for hard work. "The level of application they have shown is terrific," he said. "We might lack a lot of other things, but we don't lack in determination and workrate."

As the echoing noises of an Ibrox post-match clean-up filtered into the tunnel, Smith was asked just how his inexperienced side was coping with the campaign on four fronts.

"They look as if they are handling the situation but I keep stressing to them that this part of it has merely laid the foundation," he said. "They have got to show they can carry on in the latter stages of the season."

This is the challenge. Every game now demands a response.