Boss Gerrard rages as below-par Rangers scrape point at struggling Hamilton
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard lambasted his team’s performance in their 1-1 draw at Hamilton Accies, but was also critical of his own role in a substandard display by the Premiership leaders. Gerrard’s side scarcely merited anything from a contest in which goalkeeper Allan Mcgregor was their best player.
Even though Accies needed a 94th-minute equaliser from Ross Callachan to salvage a point, after Brian Easton’s own goal had put Rangers in front, it was the least Brian Rice’s basement battlers deserved.
While Rangers remain a healthy 21 points clear of Celtic at the top of the Premiership, Gerrard did not attempt to hide his dismay and admitted his decision to start the afternoon with key players such as Steven Davis, Ryan Jack and Kemar Roofe on the bench backfired.
“I am frustrated at our performance, I'm frustrated at myself,” said Gerrard. ”When the dust settles, I'll be quite relieved we've taken a point
away today, because I don't think we deserved anything out of the game.
“It's the easy way out to say it's a bad day at the office. We had one of them at St Mirren earlier in the season and that's the reason we can't win a League Cup.
“But this was worse. That was our worst performance of the season. Our keeper has been the busiest of both goalies and kept us in the game. He's the reason we’re taking a point.
“So we got what we deserved. We could have got a worse result, but we never really looked like a Rangers team until we made some changes. I thought the subs did really well and I'm happy with Allan. Outside of that, it's difficult to praise.
“The team is my responsibility, but looking back I left too much quality and personality on the bench.
“When we got Jack and Davis onto the pitch with Roofe, we looked a lot more dangerous. I can't play Davis and Jack every single game.
“You try to make the right changes at the right time, but I have got them wrong today, so the buck stops with me.”
Meanwhile, Hamilton boss Brian Rice hailed his players for their approach against league leaders Rangers.
The Accies manager called on his team to be brave in the meeting with Gerrard’s unbeaten side.
“I think that was the least we deserved out of the match,” Rice told Sky Sports.
"I think you saw a team today playing for each other, a team that believed they could get something out of the game and a team that deserved a goal in the last minute.
“You know you’ve got to take your chances in these games. I’m just delighted Ross popped up with the goal.”