Gers are smiles better
BACK TO WINNING WAYS
STEVEN GERRARD claimed Rangers were smiles better as he issued a Europa League rallying call in Dingwall.
The Ibrox club ended a miserable run of three domestic games without victory with a narrow 1-0 league win over Ross County.
Under-fire attacker Ryan Kent scored a late winner as Ibrox boss Gerrard revealed that he could be without skipper James Tavernier
A GLIMMER of light on the Black Isle pierced the gloom for Steven Gerrard and lifted the oppressive cloud hanging over Rangers.
A pat on the back from the manager followed a thump of the club crest on his chest by matchwinner Ryan Kent.
The European underdog finally bared its teeth after a wretched run of three domestic games without victory and, fittingly, it was the £7million attacker who delivered when it mattered most.
Kent and skipper James Tavernier – who missed the trip to Dingwall with injury – have become scapegoats for their team’s league and Scottish Cup collapses in the second half of a campaign that promised so much and will deliver so little domestically.
Kent got it in the neck for having the audacity to confess there isn’t as much tension in their play in the Europa League because there is less expectation to deliver.
Those who questioned the character of the 23-year-old were given food for thought on a change of opinion when he declined to post his entry for Scottish Hide and Seek champ in Dingwall.
Instead, he stepped up to fire the second-half goal that elicited such a muted celebration – his fist to the badge apart – you’d have thought it was a consolation in a 5-1 defeat.
In terms of the title, this victory may well be the equivalent but it also served as a rallying call for the Light Blues ahead of a crucial week.
The Europa League last 16 games against Bayer Leverkusen bookend an Old Firm clash at Ibrox on Sunday. And while the title has realistically gone, Gerrard will be desperate to build a distance from his lowest weeks in management.
The victory was far from emphatic but, however narrow, it re-established a foundation from which Rangers can rebuild confidence, particularly on the back of their first clean sheet domestically in six weeks. They rode their luck on occasions, especially early in the second half when wastefulness cost County their best chance of piling on the pressure, but ultimately won with comfort after coming good in the final half hour.
Rangers still have issues to address going forward, not least their over-reliance on deliveries from wide areas which has made them predictable and easy to read in attack.
Their full-backs have been potent weapons in the past but when Borna Barisic and Matt Polster are delivering to static targets, even the most humble defender has the opportunity to shine.
Rangers offered little through the middle and Alfredo Morelos is so far off form he spent most of this game running like an arthritic pensioner
late for his bus. The Colombian is at his best when he’s drawing in and turning defenders and pulling in teammates. But when he doesn’t make the ball stick he toils and for much of the match, he looked like a lost soul.
Morelos has netted just once in his last 11 games and it’s no coincidence Rangers only began to look the part when Florian Kamberi was introduced after an hour and the Staggies defence were suddenly faced with pace and sharper movement.
The withdrawal of Ianis Hagi and Kent’s move from left wing to right allowed the former Liverpool kid to isolate Richard Foster – and Rangers prospered from his determination.
There were only 13 minutes remaining when he stepped inside the full-back and unleashed a low, left-foot effort that took a nick off a couple of County defenders’ boots before ending up in the corner of Ross Laidlaw’s net.
It was a goal Rangers merited from a period of sustained pressure that saw Liam Fontaine deflect a Kamberi effort wide and Iain Vigurs nod a Joe Aribo header off the line.
Kent also turned provider with a corner narrowly nodded over by George Edmundson, while Kamberi and fellow sub Jordan Jones also passed up opportunities in injury time to give the game a scoreline more reflective of the possession and dominance enjoyed by the visitors.
County were strangely passive, choosing to sit off Rangers in the first half when an in-your-face performance might have been better suited to take advantage of the visitors’ vulnerabilities.
Instead, Rangers were allowed to dictate play and while they had valid penalty claims turned away towards the end of the first half when Fontaine appeared to handle a Polster cross, clear cut chances were at a premium.
A Glen Kamara shot was beaten away by Laidlaw early on and the keeper also thwarted an effort from Kent but the pressure from Gers in the final third was hardly relentless.
That said, they were especially well served by Steven Davis, who was an example of calm authority from the first minute to the last as he orchestrated the play for Rangers from central midfield.
However, Rangers were almost made to pay after the break for their lack of ruthlessness in the box.
Ross Stewart skied a shot wildly with only Allan McGregor to beat, while Josh Mullin also fired over the top after a mazy run into rival territory. However, their best chance fell to Billy Mckay, who drew a fine save from the legs of McGregor after Aribo had been robbed at the fringes of the box by the press of Don Cowie.
Rangers heeded the warning and while they have folded in recent games against St Johnstone, Hearts and Hamilton, this time they found the response Gerrard demanded at the end of a draining week.
The rain had battered the Global Energy Stadium for much of the first half but the closing stages were played out in bright sunshine that seemed to herald the arrival of spring.
This being Scotland, that remains to be seen, but Gerrard must hope this hard fought win in the Highlands suggests better times ahead for his under-pressure squad.