THEATRE OF S CREAMS Killie go the distance in team picture
Gerrard will be aiming to avoid another horror show at Rugby Park
RANGERS fans of a nervous disposition should probably not spend this Hallowe’en pondering the recent history of their team’s next assignment. A 20-mile trip down the M77 to Kilmarnock awaits tomorrow. At first glance, facing an opponent 18 points worse off in the Premiership standings should not give automatic cause for a shiver. Not for a team unbeaten in all 17 matches this season and riding high in their Europa League group.
This is Rugby Park, though. A venue that can lay claim to have been a graveyard of ambition where the Ibrox club is concerned.
Against that backdrop, leaving with victory could be another important psychological building block as Steven Gerrard’s squad look to prove their title bid can be free of past failings.
Rangers once felt very differently about this corner of Ayrshire. On May 15, 2011, it was the stage on which their 54th league crown was secured. Three goals in the first seven minutes spurred Walter Smith’s side to an electrifying 5-1 win and a third successive championship. The club hadn’t lost at Rugby Park since 1994.
A defeat the following season ended Ally McCoist’s unbeaten start in league management and began a very different trend.
Rangers have been to Kilmarnock for eight top-flight matches since that title party nine years ago. They have won once — thanks to Connor Goldson’s last-gasp header on the opening day of last season — drawn twice and lost five times.
Mark Warburton, Pedro Caixinha and Graeme Murty all failed to achieve league victory at Rugby Park as Ibrox managers. While Gerrard has, the defeats suffered came as particularly brutal blows.
In his first season in charge, a 2-1 reverse in January 2019 burst the optimism of a pre-winter break Old Firm win.
Last term saw a similar tale of woe play out on plastic. Another 2-1 loss in February left Rangers ten points behind Celtic as their title hopes faded into the distance.
This new campaign, however, could hardly have started better. Success tomorrow would open up a nine-point lead on Celtic, albeit having played two games more. Belief has steadily grown.
Midfielder Glen Kamara argues Rangers have already shown signs of a greater durability than witnessed previously. The chance of slaying old ghosts at Rugby Park is, therefore, one he feels they are ready to take.
‘There have been a few games where people thought we might drop some points — or we haven’t done as well in the past — but I feel like we have done really well and picked up points where we probably wouldn’t have,’ said Kamara.
‘We just have to focus on every game this season. We want to go there and win. I know it’s a tough place to go but I feel like we have enough to go there and get a win.’
Gerrard was similarly upbeat. Understandably so, after Thursday night’s 1- 0 victory over Lech Poznan kept Rangers on course for a place in the Europa League knockout rounds.
His overall record in continental competition now stands at just five defeats from 37 matches. The hope is of confidence continuing to feed back and forth between European and domestic assignments.
Knocks to Alfredo Morelos — who netted the winner against Poznan — and Ryan Jack were being assessed yesterday. Their absences would be unwelcome but, after making five changes to his starting line-up in each of the last two matches, Gerrard would still be able to infuse the Rugby Park mission with fresh blood.
‘First and foremost, we have to see who is available today, then we will decide on a team capable of going there and getting the three important points that we need,’ said the Ibrox manager.
‘I don’t want to give too much away but it is important you move the ball quickly and have variety in your play so that you are not predictable and not everything is in front of the Killie defence. You have to go over at times, you have to go round and make sure that when your opportunities come you are really clinical because Killie are a team that is very well- drilled, organised and don’t give much away.
‘The pitch certainly helps them to play that way as well. So we know it is a tricky game, a tough place and we know that our record could and should be better at Rugby Park.
‘But it is another game, it is an opportunity to go there and try and put in a good performance.
‘We couldn’t be in a better place really, because our form is good at the moment, people are healthy, fresh and ready.’
While victory would help amend their Ayrshire record, Gerrard pointed to Celtic’s games in hand when playing down the s i gnif i c ance of a potential nine-point lead.
‘I don’t think we need to concern ourselves with psychological advantages and where the tables are and what we can do,’ added the Englishman.
‘I think it would be different if you had the opportunity to go there and be nine points clear with no games in hand.
‘You are talking about Celtic here in this instance, a good team, who are capable of going on big runs.
‘We are still in October, it is very early days for us to be getting carried away or ahead of ourselves.’
Kamara echoed his manager’s thoughts on maintaining tunnel vision. The Finland midfielder has been backed by Gerrard to win a new contract but is happy to park those talks while the fixture schedule is so congested. ‘It’s nice to hear,’ the former Dundee man said of Gerrard’s support. ‘He’s a big manager and I’m always delighted to have that kind of praise but I’m focused on my football and whatever happens from there happens.
‘I just feel like I’m playing at a good level right now and hopefully I can continue getting better. I’m excited to be here and hopefully I can just carry it on.’
Masked Kilmarnock staff and players lined up for a socially-distanced squad photograph for season 2020/21