Don't ask me about the boos, an exasperated Walter Smith sighed on Monday, the season has not even started yet. It has now. It took only minutes last night for the mutterings of discontent to drift across Ibrox as Rangers struggled against FKB Kaunas.

The ears of the press box were attuned for any booing of Kenny Miller but the dissatisfaction with the team owed more to frustration rather than to any antipathy towards the signing from Derby County.

The collapse in form that cost Rangers the league last season extracted a price even greater than the initial, stunning disappointment of finishing second when leading the Clydesdale Bank Premier Leagu e for much of the way. That price was paid, in part, last night.

Rangers are condemned to playing two rounds of qualifying before they can even budget for the riches of the Champions League. The fans and players know how important progress in the competition is to the future of the club.

This produces a tension that is not conducive to flowing football. It has to be said that flowing football has hardly been Rangers' trademark in Europe of late. The inclusion of Christian Dailly as a central midfielder is not the move of a maverick. Smith opted to play two up front last night in the differing shapes of Jean-Claude Darcheville and Miller. This was as near to reckless that Smith is ever likely to become.

The first touch, or rather the first missed touch by Miller, produced some gentle booing but this can be dismissed as inconsequential. There are far more important matters to be discussed.

It may be enough to say that Miller gave an authentic Miller performance. He ran tirelessly, he closed down defenders. He even provided an out ball on the flanks on occasion, delivering an excellent cross in the second half that was missed by an onrushing posse of his team-mates.

But he missed two chances, one of them so gift-wrapped it should have been left under a Christmas tree.

Miller is a striker who does not score a lot of goals. Many believe this is a significant deficiency. His movement is excellent but his touch is poor. Left in the clear in the penalty box after 19 minutes, he was unconvincing in his finish, flicking the ball wide of Marian Kello and of the goal. It was a moment that would be recognised by supporters of Celtic.

His next chance was less clear-cut. An enterprising flick from Charlie Adam gave Miller a tantalising glimpse of goal but his first touch was his last and the ball ran through innocuously to Kello.

Darcheville was even less productive. The Frenchman finds it difficult to play with his back to goal. He also is not an assured finisher. An excellent through ball by Miller gave him the chance to round Kello but the forward's shot was cleared off the line.

It was telling that from 12 yards with a gaping goal there was still the feeling that someone or something would thwart Darcheville. So it proved.

But Rangers' struggle last night was not just the fault of the front men. Miller could and should have made it an easier night by taking his first chance but the problems are deeper and more familiar to regular observers of Rangers.

The Ibrox side simply have no creative force. Many will argue that they missed Barry Ferguson last night but this performance resembled many given when the midfielder was in the team.

A midfield four of Lee McCulloch, Dailly, Kevin Thomson and Adam may pose a threat at set-pieces both in delivery and in the air, however, each finds it difficult to produce a moment of genuine, defence-breaking ingenuity.

McCulloch may be better employed as a foil to Miller rather than an exile on the wing. He can play with his back to goal and is an excellent header of the ball.

Adam produced one pass but not much else. He seems to have lost his way. Dailly is only a central midfielder if one wants to break up play rather than construct it. He has fitness, discipline and a work ethic. He does not have a defence-splitting pass.

The biggest conundrum is Thomson. He is an assured passer of the ball but does most of his work just off the back four.

He was urged forward last night but could not find the opening that Rangers craved. In contrast, Rafael Ledesma showed enough style to irritate Rangers though he could not wound them before he strolled off in the second half.

Miller soon followed as Smith hoped that a change in personnel up front would produce a goal. The former Celtic forward was cheered as he left the pitch. But neither Andrius Velicka or Kris Boyd could make the breakthrough. In truth, they barely had a chance.

Smith has not yet added craft to graft at Ibrox. This results in nights like this when anxiety turns to frustration and then anger. The season has started. And so have the boos.