WE ARE THE BEST
Ojo stands by his claim that rampant Rangers are the top team in Scotland...
SHEYI OJO is sticking by his claim that Rangers are the best team in Scotland. The Liverpool loanee received criticism for the bold comment he made back in July, especially after Steven Gerrard’s men were beaten by Celtic at Ibrox in the opening Old Firm game of the season.
The 22-year-old winger, however, is not backing down as he retains the belief that Rangers are capable of going toe-to-toe with their nine-in-in-row-chasing rivals over the course of this campaign.
With Celtic being held to a 1-1 draw against Hibs on Saturday, a thumping 5-0 win over Aberdeen took Gerrard’s men back to within a point of the Premiership summit. ‘I stand by what I said and I think Rangers
SHORTLY after Steven Davis had stylishly orchestrated this obliteration of Aberdeen, Sheyi Ojo came up with a fitting new title for his 34-year-old colleague.
‘If I had to give him a nickname, I would probably call him The General,’ smiled Ojo. ‘Because he just knows everything about where the ball is going to be and he really dictates the game.’
Ibrox was less of a battlefield than a training exercise for Rangers, such was their utter dominance of injury-depleted opponents who failed to summon up a fight.
But that control was only established thanks to a mastery of the midfield area. And, in Davis, they had a leader who set the right strategy in motion time after time.
The Northern Ireland captain doesn’t have to bark orders. He delivers them on the end of pristine passes that shape the movement of Steven Gerrard’s team.
His appreciation of space was immaculate during a 76-minute outing that rightly saw him named man of the match. A honed sense of anticipation pressed Aberdeen out of possession and also led to interceptions on the rare occasions when signs of danger arose.
The Pittodrie side were totally incapable of disrupting his metronomic rhythm, or even applying genuine pressure.
While that was a failing on their part, the slick interchange between Davis, Ryan Jack and Scott Arfield made the task all the more difficult. For midfield rivals Lewis Ferguson and Dean Campbell, two young players of promise, this was a painful lesson.
Davis could be considered the brains of Gerrard’s on-field operation, yet it is not just his deep understanding of the game that adds value.
Inside that head is also the knowledge of what it takes to last the distance in a title race.
Three successive top-flight medals from his initial spell at Rangers create a valuable well of experience for less-seasoned team-mates to draw upon.
With Rangers now back to within a point of Celtic, Davis will keenly appreciate the need to maintain the high standards set.
‘He is one of the main leaders in the squad,’ added Liverpool loanee Ojo. ‘We have a few leaders in there but Steven is certainly among them.
‘His influence on the pitch is even more so. He really takes charge of that midfield. It is just a great pleasure for everyone to play alongside him. As soon as he gets the ball, I can make my runs to try and create chances for the team.
‘He came off in the second half to get a rest but he is such an important player. Everyone can see the effect he has on the team every time he plays.
‘That is not only through his performances but also in the experience he brings from his first spell at the club. He’s a vital player.’
Rangers will hope Davis can take command again when they head to a foreign field. Thursday night’s Europa League trip to Young Boys in Bern provides a chance to build upon an opening win over Feyenoord in Group G.
‘Steven will be massively important,’ said Ojo. ‘When you are away from home, you have to play a different type of game. It is not always going to be attacking.
‘The midfield will be asked to do a different type of job at times — and he can do that.
‘We work hard in training on different tactics for different opposition. We have shown we can do both sides of the game and that will be needed against Young Boys.
‘If we play to our strengths and play to our ability, we can get the three points.’
Domestically, this was a very good day for Rangers. News of Celtic dropping points at Easter Road created additional anticipation inside Ibrox. Gerrard’s side emphatically delivered to inflict the biggest defeat Derek McInnes has suffered during six-and-a-half years in charge of Aberdeen.
Positives abounded for the Ibrox
manager. Not least the introduction of Greg Stewart, who scored a first competitive goal for Rangers against his former loan employers and creatively probed at the massed ranks of their defence. He could have had a hat-trick.
Stewart shone in one of the supporting roles to Alfredo Morelos, although defining the Colombian as solely a line-leading striker no longer seems appropriate. Dropping deep into the No 10 position or drifting out wide, Morelos posed questions his markers were unable to answer.
He had already dragged a shot wide from 20 yards before being tripped by Zak Vyner with 20 minutes gone. Ibrox skipper James Tavernier stepped up to banish the memory of two penalty misses earlier this season.
That breakthrough always looked likely to end any hope Aberdeen had of avoiding defeat. Missing eight first-team players, with Andy Considine struck down by a sickness bug on the morning of the match, McInnes later lamented the lack of ‘personality’ in his side.
They were two down before the break. Joe Lewis produced a terrific save to deny Stewart’s initial header from a Tavernier cross, but was left helpless as the forward followed up to tap home.
Stewart went close from a sublime Davis pass after the restart but Rangers had to wait only until the 50th minute for another goal.
Borna Barisic delivered deep from the left and Morelos perfectly timed his run to send a downward header beyond the exposed Lewis.
Another penalty followed in 71 minutes when Greg Leigh pushed over Stewart as he sought to connect with a Tavernier cross. Referee Bobby Madden took a sympathetic view by not sending off Leigh, but Tavernier exacted punishment with another conversion from 12 yards.
Substitute Jermain Defoe then added the finishing touch with a delicate lob over Lewis.
Rangers have responded to their Old Firm defeat at the start of the month by reeling off five successive
wins — with only one goal conceded.
‘I know that everyone is really hungry for success,’ added Ojo. ‘Against Livingston in midweek, we had to dig deep and get ourselves into the semi-finals of the Betfred Cup.
‘We are doing really well in the league and are looking forward to the game against Young Boys this week.
‘I think we have a lot to be positive about, so we just have to keep it going and take it a game at a time.’
RANGERS (4-3-2-1): McGregor 6; Tavernier 8, Goldson 6, Katic 7, Barisic 7; Davis 9 (Edmundson 76), Jack 8, Arfield 8; Ojo 6 (Defoe 59), Stewart 8; Morelos 8 (Barker 69). Subs not used: Foderingham, Halliday, Kamara, King. Booked: None
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Lewis 7; Logan 5, Devlin 5, Vyner 5, Leigh 5; Ferguson 5, Campbell 5; Hedges 4, McLennan 5 (Gallagher 72), McGinn 4 (Ross 83); Cosgrove 5 (Main 87). Subs not used: Cerny, Ross, Anderson, Barron. Booked: McGinn, Cosgrove, Devlin. Man of the match: Steven Davis. Referee: Bobby Madden. Attendance: 49,992.