Warburton hits back at Lescott claims
Ibrox side struggle to break down Mark McGhee’s defence until Kranjcar steps up with two late assists, reports Scott Mullen
MARK Warburton hit out at Aston Villa owner Dr Tony Xia yesterday, claiming comments on social media blaming Rangers for Joleon Lescott’s transfer falling through were “absolute nonsense”.
Former England international Lescott was expected to be paraded at Murray Park on Friday afternoon, with a two-year deal looking set to be concluded, only for “family reasons” to be cited as the move failed to come off.
Xia took to Twitter to contradict that story, posting: “No. Lescott didn’t feel happy with personal term missed which the boss promised. RDM [Roberto Di Matteo] & I are men clear with words!”
Rangers manager Warburton was questioned about the remark after his side’s 2-1 win over Motherwell at Ibrox.
“Let me be really clear on this, it’s absolute nonsense,” he said. “The personal terms were all agreed, it’s nothing to do with that. The player decided to keep his family in Manchester. He’s well settled with three young children. It’s absolute nonsense to say anything other than that.
“The fact he was up here tells you there wasn’t a problem and it was really a big decision on the player’s part. I understand that. Three young children, it’s a huge decision.”
Warburton was unable to get Lescott, but he did manage to introduce a new signing yesterday afternoon in the form of Joe Garner.
The 28-year-old striker completed terms on a three-year contract, following a transfer from Preston North End thought to have cost Rangers in the region of £1.8 million.
Garner was greeted warmly by the Rangers support at half-time and could go into the team to face Kilmarnock on Friday night.
“It’s great to get it over the line and now I’m looking forward to getting going,” said the frontman. “There was a fantastic atmosphere, a great finish and the lads will be buzzing.
“The club has a great history, it’s massive. Driving here with my family you could sense the atmosphere.”
OVER recent times, Rangers and Motherwell have not had to square up to each other in meaningless matches. Even on only their third game of the new Ladbrokes Premiership season, the significance of this meeting was not lost on many of the 48,000 observers inside Ibrox yesterday afternoon.
At the climax of the 2015 season, the Fir Park side routed their counterparts 6-1 in the Premiership play-off final over two legs, while the first match of this term the pair locked horns once again to open up their Betfred Cup campaigns.
Supporters of the Govan club have been eager, ever since that Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic at Hampden back in April, to see how their team for the new campaign compared to that of their rivals from across Glasgow, who seem be going from strength to strength. The first Old Firm game may still be a good few weeks and an international break away, yet the arrival of Mark McGhee’s team offered a yardstick on which to measure just how Rangers stack up. The Lanarkshire side played Celtic earlier this month on Betfred Cup duty only to get a 5-0 pummelling. Less than two weeks on, they travelled across the city in an attempt to get their season back on track after that derailment lurched into a 2-1 home defeat to St Johnstone last weekend.
In the end, Rangers emerged with a 2-1 win from this gripping encounter, courtesy of goals from Harry Forrester and Kenny Miller, but what took place over the 93 minutes won’t have answered many questions.
While Motherwell were swept aside with ease on August 10, they took a surprise lead after 19 minutes through Scott McDonald here, before more than holding their own as Rangers looked out of ideas. The home side were eventually rescued from substitute Niko Kranjcar, who popped up with two assists to get an at-times pedestrian Rangers out of jail.
“They were strong defensively and we never got in behind them,” said Mark Warburton, the Rangers manager. “We didn’t earn anything first half, we conceded a poor goal with a loose pass and tackle. Not acceptable from our point of view. Second half much better, different tempo to the game, we were able to get behind them.
“Niko’s working so hard. There’s no doubt about his ability, his quality on the ball. Don’t forget he’s had a long time out, away from the top level, so he will take his time but his effort is first-class and the staff are putting the hours in with him. It’s about the whole squad getting fitter and stronger.”
Prior to Kranjcar’s introduction on 56 minutes for Andy Halliday, Motherwell looked more than capable in a performance dripping with endeavour and composure. All those traits were on show on 19 minutes when they took the lead. A crunching tackle from Craig Clay saw the ball won in midfield before it was sprayed out wide to Marvin Johnson. The Motherwell winger drove for the byline, turned inside James Tavernier and bent a cross that, after taking a deflection off of Rob Kiernan, bounced perfectly for McDonald to tap in.
Aside from a hospital back pass from Lionel Ainsworth that Miller should have converted and a half volley that Craig Samson did well to parry, their hosts were unable to carve open a sturdy defence. In the second half matters improved slightly as the unfamiliar figure of Halliday was pushed through the middle to get on a few tricky crosses, but it was his replacement that sparked Rangers into life.
Croat Kranjcar was on the park only eight minutes when his threaded ball to Miller sent the veteran striker scampering through. Samson was quick off his line to block, but the Motherwell bodies on the line couldn’t keep Forrester’s rebound out.
Predictably, a frustrated Rangers crowd soon found their voice. Warburton replaced the goalscorer with Michael O’Halloran but, even with Joe Dodoo already on, their extra legs against a shattered Motherwell team looked to have come up short of a winner, especially when Wes Foderingham pulled off a great save at the other end to deny a dipping Johnson effort from 20 yards.
However, Motherwell’s legs eventually gave out and the home side scraped a last-gasp winner a minute into injury time. Again, it was Kranjcar’s low ball in from the right. O’Halloran fluffed his lines but his sclaffed shot nudged the ball towards Miller at the back post, and he slammed his bending shot beyond Samson.
The scenes of celebration at Ibrox told the story of a home side that just got the job done, although the signs of comparison indicate much work has still to be done.
Niko’s working so hard. There’s no doubt about his ability. Don’t forget he’s had a long time out