Gerrard call for focus as title talk ramps up
Rangers manager looks to block out noise after draw
STEVEN GERRARD is confident Rangers can remain focused on the job in hand in the Premiership and block out the noise surrounding their title bid this term.
Striker Cedric Itten earned Gerrard’s side a point against Motherwell yesterday as the visitors were held for the first time since September on league duty.
Rangers remain 21 points clear of Celtic at the top of the table and on course for their first Premiership crown in a decade after maintaining their unbeaten top-flight run.
“It’s going to be a challenge because the reality is there are big prizes to play for,” Gerrard said when asked if it was hard not to get carried away given the noise around Rangers this season.
“It’s impossible not to realise where we are as a group and what’s at stake. But it’s important that we stay focused and don’t get ahead of ourselves. That’s where we are trying to keep the boys in terms of their thinking and the preparation.
“After a fantastic win noone’s getting too high and if we have a bump or don’t get the result we want it’s important to stay calm. We haven’t managed to stretch our lead today but at the same time we haven’t lost anything either.
“You’ve seen two sides of us today, a first half showing that wasn’t us and wasn’t good enough but the second half was an awful lot better.”
Rangers were far from their best at Fir Park as Itten came off the bench to cancel out a first half strike from Devante Cole.
And Gerrard was frustrated with aspects of the performance as his side missed the chance to extend their advantage over their Old Firm rivals.
Gerrard (inset) said: “I think as a group we all know where we are at and where we are trying to get to.
“We had to get into them at half-time and demand more from them in and out of possession. We got a reaction.
“We were really good in the second half and we were unlucky not to get another goal or two.”
RANGERS are a point closer to the finishing line in the Premiership. But this will feel like two squandered for Steven Gerrard’s side as they were held for only the third time this term.
Not since the draw at Easter Road in September have Rangers failed to win on league duty. On the day they could have moved 23 points clear of Celtic, they could only add one to their tally as Cedric Itten earned them a draw against Motherwell.
The point for the Steelmen and new boss Graham Alexander could be crucial in their battle to beat the drop. At the other end of the Premiership, Rangers have the breathing space to ensure that faltering at Fir Park does not prove costly in the title race.
A Devante Cole strike in the first half gave Motherwell a chance of becoming the first side to beat Rangers in the league this season. In the end, Gerrard’s side would preserve their record as their winning run came to an end just as they had the finishing line in sight.
When Motherwell went to Ibrox, Rangers had a unique challenge to overcome with the visitors setting up in the infamous 5-5-0 formation in one of Stephen Robinson’s final matches in charge. His successor Alexander was more orthodox in his approach here, and certainly more attacking.
The plan at Ibrox had been to nick a goal and then defend it, attempt to stifle and frustrate Rangers. It took Motherwell longer to break the deadlock this time around, but they were worthy of their advantage against a lackadaisical and lacklustre Rangers.
Given what is at stake and the opportunity that they had, it was hard to fathom just why Gerrard’s side were so off it for long spells. The goal from Cole did raise their levels slightly, but it was not enough as they trailed at the break and could have no complaints about doing so.
They would get into some promising positions, but the finishing touches were not there as crosses were cleared and openings closed. In terms of tempo and quality, Rangers were lacking during a surprisingly ragged and wretched first half.
There was, however, plenty to admire about Alexander’s side in terms of their shape and their pressing and their efforts paid off after 20 minutes as they took the lead.
A low drive early on from Allan Campbell was a sign of their intentions to be more purposeful with the ball on this occasion and they would exploit a weakness in the Rangers defence to break the deadlock.
The build-up was patient down the left and Liam Polworth slipped in Tony Watt. He had time to pick out his man and it was Cole who was in the right place at the right time to convert from close range.
The failure to stop crosses at source has been a point of consternation for Gerrard in recent times and that mistake, coupled with some misjudged positional play from Leon Balogun, cost Rangers. It was such an avoidable goal to lose, but one Motherwell rightly savoured.
The efforts from Rangers to pull themselves level ranged from near misses to high and wild. A glancing header from Alfredo Morelos was narrowly
wide of Liam Kelly’s left post, while an attempt from Glen Kamara was closer to clearing the Davie Cooper Stand than hitting the target.
That effort summed up Rangers in the first half and there would surely have been some stern words from Gerrard once his side had traipsed back up the stairs that lead to the makeshift away dressing room at Fir Park.
The team that re-emerged certainly had more intent. A snap shot from Ianis Hagi did not worry Kelly, but the goalkeeper did save well from Ryan Kent on the angle just minutes after the winger failed to hit the target as he stretched to get his head on a Hagi cross.
It had taken Rangers far too long, but they finally looked a threat and Itten would arrive in place of Hagi. It was Connor Goldson who almost pulled Gerrard’s side level, though, as his header was cleared by Cole on the line as the striker played his part at the other end of the park.
Motherwell were penned in by this stage. The pressure was building, but the goal still would not come as nobody in blue could convert when James Tavernier nodded a cross back into the danger area.
Thankfully for Gerrard, Itten was on hand the next time there was a chance. The cross from Borna Barisic was pinpoint and the header from the Swiss was clinical as he scored for the fourth time in three outings against the Steelmen this season.
Like at Ibrox, Rangers had been forced to wait for their goal. Now they had the winner in their sights going into the final 15 minutes.
There was only half that time when Gerrard turned to his bench again and introduced Jermain Defoe in place of Morelos. With seconds remaining, the striker unleashed a low shot that Kelly did well to save at the near post.
It was the moment that earned his side a share of the spoils. Motherwell will be pleased with their point, but Rangers were left to rue the fact they didn’t have all three.