POSSESSION doesn’t earn you points but goals win games. Unfortunately for Mark Warburton, Rangers have had plenty of one but not enough of the other.

Two wins and three draws from seven league outings is far from the start that the Ibrox boss would have targeted this term and the Light Blues find themselves under pressure in the Premiership.

For much of Warburton’s tenure, the main issues have been in defence and the 54-year-old has yet to rectify a problem that continues to plague Rangers.

The flaws, both in terms of their ability and the tactical approach, continue to be exposed and the Gers have kept just one clean sheet in the top flight this term.

Read more: Rangers boss Warburton told that goals will come - if he keeps faith in his system​Glasgow Times: Rangers manager Mark Warburton

But it is at the other end of the park where the concerns are now becoming more pressing. The questions are mounting and Warburton must find the answers.

The clash with Aberdeen on Sunday saw familiar failings come back to haunt Rangers. It was no surprise that they didn’t stop the Dons scoring, but neither was it that they couldn’t convert from open play.

Read more: Rangers boss Warburton told that goals will come - if he keeps faith in his system​

Too often this season, there has been no end product from Warburton’s side. Their build-up is methodical but there is no spark in the final third.

If Rangers had been more clinical on Sunday, the defensive lapse that lead to Jonny Hayes’ opener or the controversial free-kick before James Maddison’s winner would have been rendered irrelevant.

The game could have been won but Warburton’s side were again left with nothing to show for their efforts.

And former Ibrox striker Colin Stein knows the Gers must find their shooting boots sooner rather than later if they are to start climbing the Premiership standings.

“It is certainly not clicking and the lack of goals is a big problem,” he said.

“They are not scoring enough. We have had a lot of possession in games but you have got to convert that into goals.

“On Sunday, I thought we were the better team but we couldn’t make it count.

“If they have got that amount of possession then they need to be turning that into goals.

“They have had a lot of ball in every game apart from the Celtic game. There is not enough goals in the team.

“We had enough chances in the game and it is up to the strikers to put the ball in the net.

“Maybe we should play with more width in the team rather than trying to play through the middle all the time.

“They have got players that can add pace in the wide areas, but the likes of Michael O’Halloran don’t get a start.

“I don’t think Martyn Waghorn is a natural striker but his first reaction is to come in if he is playing on the right. He can score goals, though.

“I have only seen Joe Garner a couple of times but the jury is still out on him.”

It was to prove another frustrating day for Warburton as his side once again had plenty of the ball but left Pittodrie with no points.

Like on so many occasions this term, Rangers didn’t capitalise when they were on top and were left chasing the game after a defensive blunder.

Andy Halliday’s penalty gave the visitors a chance of snatching the victory they felt they deserved but it was a moment of magic from Maddison that won it for Derek McInnes’ side.

Read more: Rangers boss Warburton told that goals will come - if he keeps faith in his system​

Stein said: “It was a cheap goal they gave away. I think all teams know how to play against them and they just sit in and then hit them on the break. Rangers need to overcome that and find a way round that.

“If they take their chances, the opposition then have to come out and attack and our possession counts. If you score when you start well, that changes things for the other team.

“Rangers were never in any trouble before Hayes scored just after half-time. The defence did fine and they were solid enough. But we do lose poor goals.

“They have made a lot of mistakes at the back throughout the season but that wasn’t totally to blame on Sunday. Rangers had the chances to win the game.”

Defeat at Pittodrie leaves Rangers seventh in the standings and already seven points adrift of Celtic having played a game more than their Old Firm rivals.

It has not been the start that a team with title ambitions required and the spotlight is firmly fixed on Warburton ahead of the visit of Partick Thistle this weekend.

But Barca Bear Stein reckons the Ibrox squad must find improvement from within as they attempt to halt their poor run of Premiership form.

He said: “It is not a good start and they have put immense pressure on themselves. They have not done themselves any favours.

“If you get the fans behind you, that is half the battle but when they turn against you it is not very nice.

“I can see the fans sticking by them, though. A couple of good results will help.

“I don’t know about the pressure on the manager but there is certainly pressure on the players to perform. They need to start winning games.

“The manager can only put the players on the field. At the end of the day, it is up to them to perform. They need to put a good run together and keep the fans right behind them.”