I’ve heard some pundits claim it was Celtic reserves.. GARBAGE. Rangers were excellent & game plan was bang on button
They’ve different mindset this season
4.59PM. That’s when I found out Rangers had done the business at Parkhead.
Honestly, I must have been one of the last people in the country to hear the scoreline and it’s a miracle nobody let slip in front of me until fully two and half hours after the final whistle. But boy it was worth the wait! It might seem a million miles away to some but I had my own job in steering Kelty Hearts to an important win at Civil Service Strollers to do first.
Folk will think it’s weird but I still go into the same “zone” I did as a player when 55,000 screaming Celtic fans wouldn’t bother me.
It’s the same in front of no supporters in the Lowland League.
Once I’m in that place nothing can take me out it. My players were well warned to be the same and turn their phones of f at 1.30pm.
To be fair it was big Bob Malcolm I should’ve been worried about. When I turned up early in Edinburgh he was already sitting there watching the build-up so we had to confiscate his phone!
But once we were back in the dressing room with three points in the bag I couldn’t get to my phone quick enough.
There were hundreds of texts, WhatsApps you name it. I’ve no idea how many messages a phone can take but mine must’ve been about to explode.
After that it was all about getting down the road. Shower, glass of wine and watch the match because I was desperate to see how Steven Gerrard’s side went about it.
I’ve heard certain pundits saying it was Celtic’s reserves. Garbage!
Listen, I know they were missing a few players and, yes, when you see Odsonne Edouard isn’t there of course you get a lift.
But Celtic still had quality right throughout their team so let’s not make any excuses for them.
Rangers, in the home of their biggest rivals, were excellent and the game plan was bang on the button.
They allowed the three centrebacks to have the ball to a certain stage then knew the trigger to press them. They took chances at times with the full-backs having to get up tight on the Celtic wing-backs.
But Rangers were controlled, aggressive and their workrate was excellent. They looked really hungry and I liked that.
Ryan Kent is fantastic attacking defences but I look at the other side of it and he was sprinting 40-50 yards to win the ball back at times. I love that.
Glen Kamara was the standout. How on earth was that guy only £50,000? What would you get for that now? That is the deal of the century.
I was actually laughing while I was watching the game thinking what a piece of business that was.
And he is only going to get better too.
Stick another two zeros on the end of that £50,000 and you’ll not be close to what he’s worth now.
It shouldn’t matter what he’s worth though – Rangers need to get him tied down on a new contract asap.
To be honest I thought Gerrard would have gone with Ryan Jack so it was a surprise to see Kamara start.
But what a performance, I thought he was exceptional against a very good Celtic midfield of Brown, McGregor and Ntcham.
He was all over the place and when he got the ball he was
posed. He goes about his ess quietly, keeps the thing ng over simply but ively. doesn’t get the recognition serves. mara came through at nal so has a good footballing ground. Then he’s gone to dee, done well there to get ve to Rangers and he’s now nish international. ook at the midfielders ard has at his disposal use that was my position. u’ve got Kamara, Jack, n Davis, Scott Arfield, Joe and now Bongani Zungu. players vying for a place in the manager applies as a in there. at means you need to be on your mettle or you don’t play. Kamara made a big statement with his performance at Celtic Park and has done his chances of staying in there no harm.
I was delighted to see Connor Goldson get a double as well.
He’s a mainstay in that defence for a reason and looks to be the one that’s always roaring and driving the team on.
There’s no doubt Rangers have struck a psychological blow with that win – it’s always that when you beat your main rivals and I don’t care what anyone says.
But by the same token you have to be wary of a wounded animal.
You enjoy the victory of course but now it’s about kicking on.
It’s only 11 games into the season and people shouldn’t get carried away. Just look back a few months to what happened after they won there at New Year.
Thankfully, and I’ve said it numerous times, there’s a different mindset about this team this season.
The vibe that comes out after a big victory is “it’s only three points and we move on”.
That’s brilliant. It looks like they are fully focused on the bigger picture.
Already the attention will have turned to Standard Liege on Thursday and I fancy them to go over to Belgium and get a result.
But the bigger game is next Sunday at home to Livingston, that’s the bread and butter for them this season.
At least this time I won’t need to keep my eye on big Bob and his phone.
That’s a tough ask. AC Milan are going well and have just come off a derby win against Inter. The Italians are big favourites.
Can Rangers get off to a flier with a win away to Standard Liege?