A few eyebrows were raised last summer when Walter Smith appeared to be acquiring new players at the same rate as panic-stricken motorists have been taking on fuel in recent days. Barely a pre-season week slipped by without Rangers parading at least one new signing as Smith continued to rebuild his squad from the wreckage he had inherited from Paul Le Guen.

By the time the August transfer had window closed, Smith could fashion an entire team from new arrivals as 11 players signed up to try to revive a Rangers side that had endured two seasons without a trophy. Four more joined them in January. At the time it seemed excessive. Now, as injuries and suspensions pile up and with crunch matches that could define Rangers' season approaching, that bulk-buying looks increasingly like the sort of shrewd and prudent business practice that even Sir Alan Sugar would approve of.

Smith was perhaps fortunate early in the campaign to enjoy the luxury of retaining five or six key players for each match while filling the remaining positions on a quasi-rotational basis. Having Allan McGregor, David Weir, Carlos Cuellar, Barry Ferguson, Alan Hutton and, more often than not, Lee McCulloch fit and free from suspension was pivotal to Rangers' success and all six demonstrated remarkable levels of consistency, in terms of performance and health. Now, the appearance of those players can no longer be taken for granted.

Hutton has departed for Tottenham, while McGregor, Ferguson and McCulloch have all struggled with injuries. Weir and Cuellar remain fit but blighted by suspension, as a result of ill-discipline and unauthorised goalkeeping respectively at Celtic Park last week. Both, however, will be available to face Fiorentina in the first leg of the UEFA Cup semi-final on Thursday. The same cannot be said for the other three.

Ankle injuries sustained in that Old Firm defeat will mean McGregor and McCulloch will miss out on the visit of the Italians. Ferguson, who has been troubled with a similar injury, will join them in the stand due to suspension, as will Kevin Thomson, his usual central midfield companion. From those key players, McGregor will be the easiest for Smith to replace, Neil Alexander ably deputising in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final victory over St Johnstone and making two smart stops during the penalty shootout. Progression to the final came at a cost, however as two challenges left Chris Burke and Steven Naismith wincing before the pair were replaced. Neither will feature against the Italians.

The ever-lengthening queue outside the treatment room at Murray Park therefore gives Smith something of a quandary as he tries to summon sufficient bodies to fill a five-man midfield. Whom to select wide on the left would seem the primary dilemma. Injuries have ruled out DaMarcus Beasley, Charlie Adam, McCulloch and now Naismith. Asking Nacho Novo to switch flanks would seem the simplest choice. There are, however, intriguing alternatives.

Steven Smith has recently returned after 15 months out injured and could be asked to move forward from his left-back role. Smith, in fact, made his first-team debut in left midfield before retreating to defence, but after 90 sapping minutes at Hampden on Sunday, he is perhaps not physically ready to take on such a challenge.

Ironically, there is a left-sided attacker signed last summer currently gathering dust in the reserves who would seem ideal. However, after just two appearances all season, both against third division opposition, there is more chance of Davie Wilson starting the game than there is Alan Gow, whose continued absence begs the question as to why Smith signed him in the first place.

Thomas Buffel, recalled from a similarly lengthy spell with the stiffs, could also play wide left or fill one of the central gaps left. Another option, unlikely to be pursued, would be to reduce the number of midfielders by switching to a 4-4-2 formation and utilising both Jean-Claude Darcheville and Daniel Cousin in attack.

Question marks remain over Kirk Broadfoot's ability at full-back but, with Steven Whittaker probably needed in a wide midfield berth, it seems the former St Mirren defender will be given another chance to atone for earlier errors.