GERRARD: I’LL TAKE BLAME
FROM BACK PAGE McLennan made it three wins from three games in Glasgow.
The Ibrox outfit fell woefully short again as an attacking force after Glen Kamara gifted an opener and Gerrard looked on aghast as his side struggled to create a chance of note.
He even refused to linger on a controversial call in the first half when Alfredo Morelos was booked for diving in the box when TV replays showed he went down under contact from Andrew Considine.
Gerrard all but admitted that would have been a cop-out on a night in which his side were second best by a distance, with the only sour note for Aberdeen a booking for skipper Graeme Shinnie that keeps him out of the Hoops clash.
Gerrard said: “If you want to ask questions of me, feel free. I’m responsible for it.
“I’ve gathered the majority of this squad together. It’s my team selection, my tactics, so if there’s any spotlight or questions that come my way I’ll accept them.
“Credit to Aberdeen, they deserve to be going to Hampden. We can’t expect to be going anywhere near that place after a performance like that.
“I had confidence, trust and belief in the players and the team we picked they’d be good enough.
“Normally after a defeat or a performance you can look for certain positives but I can’t find one. That’s the reality, so I am concerned.
“I’m very disappointed and angry looking at our performance because it was nowhere near good enough in every single department.
“Aberdeen deserved to win. We started the game really poorly and gifted them a goal on the back of that bad start.
“It never really got much better from there. From start to finish, we were miles off it in every department. It is very difficult to sit here and find any positivity.
“I’ve put this squad together and I’ve picked the team and tactics. I’ve sat here on a lot of occasions and took a bit of praise and I’ve accepted that, so I’ll sit here and take responsibility for it.
“Those players go out there to represent the players and myself. But anyone connected with Rangers can’t have gone away with any positives.
“It’s a big problem and challenge for me now. If a result and performance puts the spotlight on me, that’s fine. I’ll take it on the chin, I’m man enough to accept that.
“It’s my job now to try to move on from this, which will be tough because it was such a big game and we knew what was at stake.
“It’s my job now to lift the players, keep us together until the end of the season then see where we are. Then we’ll see what the summer brings.”
Morelos earned a yellow that would potentially have kept him out of the semi but Rangers would have been allowed to appeal a booking for simulation.
Gerrard said: “I haven’t had a chance to look back on it. I will and I’ll give you a comment when I do.
“However, it doesn’t take anything away whether it was a yellow or a penalty. My main concern is with the performance as a whole and it wasn’t anywhere near good enough.”
Rangers face Kilmarnock at the weekend before the international break then return to face Celtic in a game they must win to keep alive their faint title hopes.
Gerrard said: “I’m angry we’re out of this cup because we’re at home with the fans behind us and an opportunity to show we’re better than Aberdeen.
“We didn’t do it. We were second best. No one hit near the level we need.”