NO EXCUSES FROM STEVEN DAVIS AS LISTLESS RANGERS ARE LEFT TO RUE REMNANTS OF A BLACK SABBATH
No excuses from Davis as heavy metal poster fails to rouse Rangers
THE giant banner unfurled by Rangers fans just before kick-off would have been familiar to anyone who has ever clapped eyes on an Iron Maiden album cover.
Under an image of a skeletal warrior — akin to Eddie, the veteran metallers’ villainous mascot — a bold typeface delivered a simple instruction: ‘When the whistle sounds, the charge begins.’
Only it didn’t. Not out on the pitch. This was more of a retreat from Rangers as they failed to take the fight to Celtic, losing 50-50 challenges and conceding one-v-one battles in most of the areas that mattered.
Orders from above had delivered a disorientating team selection and strategy. This was a bad day for Steven Gerrard, no question about that. His game plan, lacking in width, ended up playing into Celtic’s hands and would surely be ripped up if the Ibrox manager was given a chance to turn back the clock.
But those under Gerrard’s command were also their own worst enemies at times. Individually and collectively, Rangers failed to live up to the optimism generated by a previously positive start to this campaign.
In defeating Celtic twice at Ibrox last season, Gerrard’s team were the embodiment of effective aggression. Intensely focused, in their opponent’s faces, running over the top of them and incision in front of goal. None of those aspects were seen yesterday.
It left a sense of disappointment, made all the more painful by the high that preceded it.
After qualifying for the Europa League group stage on Thursday night, Rangers were established, for the first time in recent years, as bookmakers’ favourites to win an Old Firm match.
Experienced midfielder Steven Davis is adamant, however, that this wasn’t a case of Gerrard’s squad being seduced by any hype.
The Northern Ireland captain offered no excuses for a no-show team display, but stressed it was way too early in the campaign to talk of a significant blow being struck in the title race.
‘Listen, I don’t think it is going to have a massive bearing right now, it is not going to decide the league right there,’ said Davis afterwards.
‘There is a lot of football to be played. After the game, of course, there is huge disappointment.
‘This is a game we were looking forward to and we were confident we could get the right result. We haven’t done that and haven’t performed well enough, so we need to make sure that we improve going forward.
‘I don’t think we saw ourselves as favourites and I have played in enough Old Firm games to know that each and every one is different. I don’t think