Windass does a Lampard in rout of Linfield
MUCH of the criticism surrounding Rangers this season has centred on what appears to be a lack of balance in midfield.
In the return of Josh Windass, fit again after a hamstring issue that had kept him out of action since a League Cup win at East Stirlingshire on July 22, Ibrox manager Mark Warburton has been presented with some serious food for thought ahead of the first Old Firm game of the season on Saturday.
The summer arrival from Accrington Stanley added real drive to the team in this hammering of Linfield. Kenny Miller, captain for the day in the absence of the injured Lee Wallace, even compared him to former Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard afterwards.
Only so much can be read into matches against part-time opposition, but Warburton returned from Belfast last night with plenty to hold onto ahead of a far more testing trip into enemy territory next time out.
For starters, the head injury which saw £1.8million centreforward Joe Garner removed from the play after just nine minutes proved so inconsequential that he was patched up and actually brought back on for Harry Forrester a little before the hour mark, scoring the final goal in this comprehensive rout.
Martyn Waghorn was also given a run-out for just over half-anhour as a second-half substitute, forcing himself into contention for Parkhead after injuring his hamstring in a home draw with Hamilton on the opening day of the Premiership campaign.
No matter the nature of the contest — on this occasion, a testimonial match for home midfielder Jamie Mulgrew — putting seven goals on the account is only likely to aid confidence.
Miller scored four, with Niko Kranjcar and Rob Kiernan providing the others.
At the other end of the park, Philippe Senderos managed just short of an hour without being seriously tested but, for Miller at least, it was Windass who shone brighter than anyone.
‘Josh gives you that threat from the middle of the park that we have been missing over the past few weeks — and he could have had two or three himself today,’ said Miller.
‘He is Lampard-esque with those late runs into the box and getting on the end of crosses. When you have someone doing that, it is hard to defend. It is always going to be a thorn in the opposition’s side.’
Garner’s early withdrawal led to Miller becoming the central focus of the attack and he started the rout early on.
Windass forced a close-range save from Roy Carroll with a header and was sharp enough to move onto the rebound at the bye-line, cutting the ball back to
Miller, who blasted it into the roof of the net.
Four goals in the space of seven minutes then ended the contest.
Kranjcar made it 2-0 with a thunderous shot which beat Carroll high to his right.
Kiernan then forced the ball in off the post after a Forrester effort had been saved.
Miller rounded the keeper for his second and then completed his hat-trick with a crisp shot.
His fourth came early in the second half when Michael O’Halloran slipped it wide to him and he placed it into the far corner after creating space.
Garner then wrapped it up when converting at the far post after O’Halloran had been sent clear by Kranjcar.