SOOTHING BALM RESTORES CALM
Rangers help heal the hurt of Parkhead with a comprehensive win over toothless Hearts
AFTER the storm, some calm for Rangers. Their response to the frustration of Sunday’s chaotic Old Firm defeat was a performance imbued with ingredients absent for much of the miserable month of March.
Steven Gerrard’s side richly deserved a first victory in six games. Positive and incisive from the first whistle, despite the absence of Parkhead sinner Alfredo Morelos, they had too much invention for Hearts to handle. Ibrox must have wished it could have witnessed the same when the Premiership and Scottish Cup were still active aims.
Even so, there was some significance in this success. It was among Rangers’ best displays since the winter break and at least suggested a desire to make Celtic wait as long as possible for their now inevitable coronation. If the Parkhead side defeat Livingston on Saturday, Gerrard’s men will need a positive result at Motherwell the following day to push that date beyond the top-flight split.
More in this vein would help their cause. There was no sign of the ineffectiveness that had seen too many points leaked since the winter break. Chances were created and taken with equal aplomb.
Jermain Defoe got the ball rolling with his sixth goal for Rangers on his first start since February. A sparky presence throughout, Gerrard will rely on his input while Morelos is sidelined.
Connor Goldson quickly increased the lead before Scott Arfield wrapped things up early in the second half. A clean sheet was no less welcome as Rangers’ grip on second was tightened. Gerrard will now seek similar intent over their remaining six fixtures as he weighs up who should be retained in his squad for next term.
For counterpart Craig Levein, however, this was an evening of precious few positives. Defensive errors combined with a lack of genuine forward menace. Much better will be needed if they are to emerge from Saturday’s Edinburgh derby still as the capital’s highest-ranked team.
Rangers’ decision to contest the two-match ban offered to Ryan Kent for lashing out at Scott Brown meant the Liverpool loanee was able to start again here.
His fate will be determined at a tribunal hearing today.
Even so, the Old Firm fall-out forced a rejig. Morelos and Andy Halliday were already consigned to bans, while Gerrard dropped Ross McCrorie and Daniel Candeias to the bench. Defoe and Steven Davis — the two flagship January signings — were introduced alongside Jon Flanagan and Glen Kamara.
It was a rare sighting of Flanagan, whose only previous appearance of 2019 had come in a Scottish Cup win over Cowdenbeath.
The manner in which Rangers’ ten men had contested Sunday’s derby ensured the defeat wasn’t as dispiriting as some of those endured at the same stage last season. But a strong reaction was still needed. A message that the season wouldn’t be allowed to fade out in anti-climax.
It was delivered emphatically in a one-sided opening. With Hearts woefully unable to retain any kind of meaningful possession, Gerrard’s side rapidly assumed dominance through slick passing and sharp movement.
They thought they had the lead inside 90 seconds. John Souttar’s dithering on the ball was emblematic of the visitors’ early uncertainty. Ryan Jack nicked in to win possession, only for an offside flag to be raised against Defoe when he pounced on the midfielder’s diligence and swept into the net. It looked a close call.
The veteran Englishman had another effort deflected wide before James Tavernier tested Zdenek Zlamal from distance.
A breakthrough was in the post. And it was Defoe who delivered after 16 minutes.
Arfield fed the ball to Tavernier on a charge into the penalty area. Zlamal blocked his effort but Defoe was first to the loose ball and crashed home a finish off the underside of the bar.
That well-earned advantage was doubled within five minutes. It was as simple a goal as you will see, Goldson escaping the attentions of Peter Haring to head in a Tavernier free-kick. Little wonder Levein looked livid.
The Hearts manager had been robbed of his primary attacking focus when Uche Ikpeazu sustained a weekend head knock. That meant Sean Clare was asked to support Craig Wighton, but both toiled to make an impact. Set-pieces were left as the most likely route to a lifeline. A Berra header held by McGregor provided a first effort on target after 29 minutes. Four minutes later, the Hearts captain cursed the excellence of the Rangers No 1. Berra thought he had scored when connecting with an Oliver Bozanic corner, but McGregor somehow twisted his frame to propel the downward header up and over the bar. It was only a brief flurry, however. With Joe Worrall going close, Rangers ended the opening period back on the front foot. They duly settled any doubt about the outcome two minutes after the restart.
Tavernier was again the creator with his umpteenth overlap on the right flank. A tempting cross was met by an improvised flick from Defoe that drew a fantastic reaction stop from Zlamal.
Not that the Czech gained anything from it. Arfield (left)was first to the deflection and slammed in a shot off his left foot.
Hearts had to dig deep to ensure it didn’t become properly damaging. Defoe and substitute McCrorie both rifled stinging drives narrowly over the bar.
Eros Grezda came even closer to adding goal No 4. Summoned from the bench to replace Arfield, the Albanian winger struck the outside of the post.
The only real danger to Rangers came from an outbreak of complacency. Worrall attempted to channel his inner Paolo Maldini but ended up needlessly conceding possession at the edge of the penalty area. His blushes were spared when McGregor stretched out fingertips to thwart Wighton. A Jamie Brandon thump again the post was then Hearts’ final shot at consolation.