Rangers’ defence is proving meaner with Clint in saddle
IF a spectacular 100th goal for Rangers has nailed down Kenny Miller’s place in the team for next weekend’s Betfred Cup semi-final against Celtic, there is a case for starting an even older head at the other end of the pitch. As much as Miller’s terrific matchwinning winning volley deserved to be lauded at Inverness, the accrual of another clean sheet would have been just as encouraging for manager Mark Warburton.
The shut-out was Rangers’ fourth in five games and 37-year-old Clint Hill has started all but one of those matches. Benched for the previous derby at Celtic Park last month, the Englishman had to look on as Moussa Dembele destroyed the partnership of Philippe Senderos and Rob Kiernan, scoring the perfect hat-trick in a 5-1 victory.
Red-carded on that miserable debut and arguably just as shaky against Partick Thistle a couple of weeks ago, it would be a surprise if Senderos made it into Rangers’ Hampden XI.
Warburton went with Hill and Kiernan on Friday and, even if Danny Wilson recovers from injury, there would seem a good chance he will stick with that pairing next weekend.
Hill would be happy with that. Having got a feel for the fixture from the sidelines the former Queens Park Rangers stopper is itching to be involved.
‘I would love to get a crack at it,’ said Hill. ‘That is what I have come up here for. I was on the bench last time soaking it up but I want to experience what it’s like to play in an Old Firm game.
‘We have a point to prove after last time. You don’t want to lose any game, especially not to Celtic, but it was also the manner in which we went down, so we have something to prove.
‘There was a lot of build-up to that game as it was the first in the league for a while. Unfortunately, we didn’t turn up on the day and didn’t play the kind of football we know we can.
‘We have got back to that in the last four or five games and, hopefully, it will be a different Rangers that turn up on Sunday and give them more of a game.
‘We have to forget about last time. If you think about it too much it will drive you insane. It is important we turn up and play our style of football. If we do that, then 99 times out of a 100 we can give any team a decent game.’
So bedraggled were Rangers that day at Celtic Park that, with all his substitutes used and both Senderos and the injured Kiernan off the pitch, Warburton ended up with Joey Barton operating at centre-half.
If Rangers are to have any chance they will need to both retain their shape and find a way to contain Dembele. Having come across the young Frenchman in the Championship last season, Hill has some sort of handle on what Dembele can do.
‘You could tell he was something special at Fulham,’ admitted Hill. ‘He and Ross McCormack had a decent partnership up front, so there is no doubt he is a great player and is really on top form.
‘We know they have outstanding talent up front so we know we have to be on top of our game. Hopefully, we will be a determined bunch and we can prove a few doubters wrong.’
While Hill would acknowledge that shackling Dembele will prove significantly more difficult than keeping Caley Thistle’s Lonsana Doumbouya in check, he does feel that there has been an organisational improvement in the Rangers team.
Barton’s suspension has facilitated the return of Andy Halliday to the side and his spadework in front of the defence has helped. Likewise, the restoration of Jason Holt following injury has added zip to the midfield.
Friday night’s win temporarily lifted Rangers to third in the Premiership table and, while the football was rarely sparkling, the ability to hang tough and see the game through heartened Hill.
‘As a defender you are judged on clean sheets and are desperate not to concede,’ he added. ‘That is four out of the last five games, so we are moving in the right direction.
‘We would like a bit more of a cushion in games, but to nick a 1-0 win is a great result for us. Inverness is a difficult place to go to. They were unbeaten in five games and gave Celtic a decent game here as well.
‘I thought we passed the ball well in the first half and in the second half we had to show a different side to our game. We had to be brave without the ball, throwing our heads in and making blocks. It was a good, solid three points.’
As for Miller, Hill admits his fellow veteran is defying time with his dynamism in the final third.
‘Kenny is almost 37 too and he is still as fit as a fiddle,’ he smiled. ‘His movement off the ball and his finish was outstanding. He could have had another one and he deserved his man of the match.’