«GERRARD’S MEN ARE STILL NO MATCH FOR THEIR OLD FIRM RIVALS
His team are no match for their Old Firm rivals just yet
THERE was nothing surprising about Rangers yesterday. No single incident or sustained passage of play that would have given anyone pause for thought.
They are exactly what they appear to be. A new team rebuilt from the wreckage of dismal mismanagement, improving but not yet able to compete on a level footing with Celtic.
After all of the hype about Steven Gerrard’s men carrying momentum into this contest, the shift in perception almost entirely down to a mad few hours on deadline day, the actual football was always likely to produce a home win at Celtic Park.
It’s not that Gerrard was actually relieved to avoid a pummelling. Such is the ground his team have been asked to cover, however, that he is entitled to claim a degree of progress in a 1-0 loss.
The former England and Liverpool captain pointed out: ‘Rangers have been blown away in previous derby games. Completely annihilated with scorelines that are not acceptable.
‘I’m not saying losing 1-0 is acceptable. But we’re working in the right direction.
‘With more improvements and time to drill them on the training pitch and grow, I believe we are moving in the right direction to close it (the gap).
‘For me, it’s difficult to take positives because we lost, but we’re together only 12-14 weeks and we have had a lot of hurdles and challenges — the players have given everything, so I can’t be too critical of them.
‘Celtic have been together two years and they’ve more experience than this new group of players we’re working with.
‘We knew they are a good team and they are going to have periods of possession but I’ve seen enough today.
‘If we can get bodies back and new signings up to speed, we can be a match for Celtic in the next fixture.’
Rangers have until December to get themselves up to speed. If five points from a tough opening four games to the Premiership season hardly suggests that revolutionary fervour is sweeping through the Hummel training centre, they should improve.
Yet even interim boss Graeme Murty got a 0-0 at Celtic Park last season; it’s always dangerous to read too much into one solid performance.
‘I think, in the main, it’s disappointing if you think five out of 12 (points) — for a club like Rangers, that’s disappointing,’ said Gerrard. ‘But, if you look at the fixtures and what we had to face as a brand new staff, a brand new group of players…
‘We had Aberdeen away, then away to Motherwell and Celtic in our first four. Away to Kilmarnock (in the League Cup) sandwiched in the middle of that.
‘And then eight Europa League games, with all the travel in that short space of time. I’m pleased with where we are.
‘I believe the next time this derby comes around we will be better. We will be more used to each other — and hopefully we’re in a good place to make up the points we have lost.
‘I think we’ve done ever so well. Thursday night (qualifying for the Europa League group stage) was a big moment, the first thing we’ve achieved as a team.
‘Coming here today and getting the right result would have made it a perfect start, in terms of the staff and players becoming a group.
‘It’s a setback today, the result. But now it’s about really praising the players for the run of games they’ve been on and what they’ve achieved so far.
‘Now we need to go on another run of games. The fixture schedule is a little kinder after the break.
‘But we need to go on another run, that’s what being a successful team is all about. You learn from your setbacks.
‘You take them on the chin, they hurt, but you try to improve. That goes for me as well as the players.
‘In the 90 minutes today, Celtic were better in the first 45 in possession — although a lot of that was in front of us and our shape was comfortable, besides one or two moments when they hit the bar twice.
‘I was disappointed in my team at how we kept the ball and we were just happy in our shape. I felt we were hanging on a little bit.
‘After midweek, we asked could we be at least level at half-time and, in those terms, we were happy.
‘I wanted the players to have more courage, make more passes and ask more questions of Celtic.
‘I enjoyed the experience. I will evaluate my own performance, see what we thought we did well, what
we could do different — and I’ll try to improve. But I felt, second half, we gave a good account of ourselves.
‘In the first half, we didn’t have enough players who wanted to stay on the ball and keep it. We kept giving it back to Celtic.
‘If you keep giving the ball back to good teams, you will be put under pressure.’
But for Allan McGregor, Rangers would have lost by three or more. Had referee Willie Collum spotted McGregor’s kick at Kristoffer Ajer, well, the same applies.
While Gerrard may have a case about Tom Rogic’s challenge on Ryan Jack at the start of Celtic’s breakaway for the goal, they cannot really complain about losing a game where they had so little in the way of possession.
Still, James Tavernier had that golden chance with two minutes of regulation time remaining. They didn’t look like a side exhausted from their Europa League travels to Russia.
Asked if fatigue had played any part in his team’s inability to engage with Celtic for long spells, Gerrard said: ‘It’s difficult to say. I can sit and make excuses. I’m not one who does that. They (Celtic) played Thursday, too — but we were miles and miles away.
‘Yet we finished the game strong and played with energy and got down the sides.
‘I think it would be a cheap one to say it was because of Thursday. Of course you’d prefer the week to prepare — 48 hours and one session is not enough.’
A few months at the helm isn’t enough, either, for Gerrard to get Rangers exactly where he wants them to be. Surprisingly enough.