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Rangers defender Max Aarons reckons his side are still on the right road with Danny Rohl despite their Hampden stumble. The German gaffer saw his new side crash to a 3-1 extra time defeat to Celtic on Sunday as they missed out on a place in the Premier Sports Cup final. It was a backward step for a team that had shown some promising signs at last this term with back-to-back wins over Kilmarnock and Hibs. But Aarons is convinced his team are heading in the right direction with Russell Martin’s replacement now calling the shots - and believes a win over this week’s Europa League opponents Roma can get Rohl’s side rocking and rolling again. The Bournemouth loanee said: “In any Old Firm game, any semi, you have to be disappointed if you don't come out on top. "However, putting that to the side, I'm really, really excited by this manager and what he's brought. And I've seen a change in the team. "Personally, I feel really confident at the moment, and I think we have to move on to the Roma game now. “Before Sunday, we had two good results and we really have to push on that now. “What’s the manager done to impress me? I think the intensity that we're bringing into games now, both with the ball, without the ball, is good. "I think we're being more streetwise in terms of seeing games out, obviously Sunday aside. "But, you know, there's definitely some positives, as people can probably see, “Feeling it from within, there's been some big, positive steps I can feel. “Danny's come in and laid out how he wants to play and perform. "And there's bits in there that from the past when I've been a part of teams that push in the right direction and teams that have done well, all of those things are there to see. "And I think he's really brought that, he's brought a calmness and a togetherness and hopefully we can build that.” It’s still early days for Rohl but the fans seem to be encouraged by what the former Sheffield Wednesday boss has to offer in the wake of the disastrous start to the campaign under Martin. The same can’t be said for £8million man Youssef Chermiti . The Ibrox legions thought they’d be getting a readymade goalscorer after forking out the club’s second highest ever transfer fee to bring him north from Everton. But the Portuguese forward passed up two huge chances at Hampden to leave punters yet again questioning the judgement of recruitment chief Kevin Thelwell. Aarons, though, is backing his team-mate to win over his doubters. He said: "From what I can see, everyone's growing. "Everyone does feel we are moving in the right direction. "Again, it’s hard after Sunday to say that. "But I can see positive steps, especially, Youssef, the way he's working, especially that Hibs game, he was brilliant. "We have to have to go and get a result on Thursday and kick on in the league as well, as that's been what's been letting us down so far, and building those two results' put together." Aarons admits Gers owe the Ibrox faithful a big performance when Gian Piero Gasperini arrives with his Serie A giants on Thursday night. The Light Blues have lost all three of their Europa League dates so far and could be flirting with an early exit if they don’t pick up some points this week. "It's been really difficult for the fans,” said the right back. "But it has to start with us. "We have to give them that lift, we have to show them the performances, we have to show them a fight, and we have to show them results and wins. "Like I said, we had two games where I feel like we'd taken a real big step. “With Sunday and the circumstances that day, however you want to look at it, ultimately, we're out of the cup now and that's the frustrating part. “Of course, it hurts to lose in an Old Firm semi-final, I keep repeating myself on that. "But in isolation, we have to put that aside now, we've got to make some steps in the Europa League with the results we've had and that starts on Thursday.”
