Draper: Don’t dare write off Rangers in big Hampden semi
Inverness midfielder Ross Draper reckons it would be madness to write off Rangers in next Sunday’s League Cup semi-final.
Draper has played against both teams in the past month, helping Caley Thistle get a 2-2 draw against the champions in September before losing 1- 0 to Mark Warburton’s men on Friday night.
And despite Gers being crushed 5-1 in the last derby, the Englishman believes they can get a result at Hampden.
Draper said: “We watched the first half of the Old Firm game at Celtic Park last month before our own match and it was a little bit one-sided.
“I thought Celtic would run out easy winners that day but it’s tough to call next week.
“The teams play similar football. They try to suck you in and move the ball about so it will be a good contest.
“This will be on a neutral ground so, on their day, Gers could possibly get a result if everything goes their way.
“I’ve played against Celtic for the past four years. They have improved so much under Brendan Rodgers, the way they keep the ball.
“We were desperate for them to put the ball in the channel when we played them so we could maybe nick it, get the ball back and give ourselves a breather.
“Rangers perhaps aren’t as fluent as that but they maybe go forward a bit more. That’s just tactics. It’s anyone’s game. Who knows?”
Draper was disappointed to lose to Gers in the Highlands but doesn’t believe it will put Inverness off the rails after a fine run of form.
He said: “We played some good stuff. We certainly take the positives out of it because
we gave it a right good go. On another day we might have nicked a goal.
“We had a couple of shots and headers. With a bit of luck we could have nicked a point like we did against Celtic.
“We didn’t want to break our unbeaten run of five games but it’s about the bigger picture.
“Games against Celtic and Rangers are a bonus. It’s the long haul of playing the teams around you week in, week out.
“The gaffer said it was probably our best performance in six games even though we got results from the other five.
“It’s mad how football can work but we take the positives and against a lesser team we would definitely have come out on top.
“Rangers are good, full of good footballers. If you give them time on the ball then the midf ield three of Niko Kranjcar, Jason Holt and Andy Halliday can tear you apart.
“It was important to try and press high but sometimes they got out. That’s the risk you take, they can cut you open.
“I’m a big fan. Rangers have maybe struggled to get results but they have shown in the cup, where they’ve had a good run, that they can beat anyone.”