SAINTS NICK IT!
Gerrard takes blame as Rangers crash out
STEVEN GErrard last night insisted he was to blame for rangers crashing out of the Betfred Cup on a dramatic night in Paisley.
The Ibrox manager’s tinkering with his starting XI was brutally exposed by Jim Goodwin’s Saints as Conor McCarthy struck a stoppage-time winner.
Steven davis looked to have given rangers a late lifeline after a double from Jamie McGrath put the Buddies in front — only for McCarthy to pounce at the death.
Gerrard declared: ‘Look, we haven’t performed well and I’m responsible for that. I made all the
decisions, the tactical and personnel, I tweaked certain things. This is one where I’ll take the blame, I’m responsible for it all — because the players have been absolutely first class since the first day of pre-season. ‘We’ve had an awful lot of praise as a group, defensively and offensively. But tonight we just weren’t at it. To concede the three goals in the manner that we did is disappointing. ‘We have to take what’s going to come our way. It’ll be a bit different for us, in terms of the season. I’ll demand we react in the right way. I’m bitterly disappointed because it’s an opportunity missed. ‘You are not expecting to win every game and there will be bumps in the road. But this is more than a bump. It was a big opportunity. ‘In the league or Europe, you get a chance to recover. But there’s no chance to recover in a knockout competition, so it stings even harder. So we have to live with that. ‘My job now is to make sure we are ready to go again.’ Gerrard, who refused to comment on the decision not to contest the two-game suspension for Alfredo Morelos, added: ‘We can’t allow the disappointment to spiral. At the moment emotions are running high after a setback like this. ‘But you have a choice in these situations. And you find out a lot about the group, about players. ‘I’ll be trying to react in a positive way. Of course it will sting. It will hurt. But it’s my job to pick them up and make sure they go again. ‘Compared to the rest of the performances, 27 unbeaten or whatever it is, the players have been outstanding. ‘They gave us a lot more than we expected. But tonight we just weren’t at it as group. ‘I’m not going to point any fingers or criticise anyone. I’m going to take the responsibility because they’re my players. I signed the majority, if not all of them. I pick the tactics, make the decisions. So it’s on me. ‘We got back into it and had to throw caution to the wind in the last ten minutes. The idea was to get to extra-time and then get Fil (Helander) onto the pitch to get a bit more order. ‘I’m disappointed with how all the goals were conceded. I’m sure you will pick the bones out of it. We will do that internally. ‘There’s nothing I’m really going to gain by saying anything on that one (Morelos). But I’m obviously really disappointed not to have him available.’ Goodwin said his team deserved to dream about repeating the club’s League Cup win of 2013. ‘We will remain grounded, there is no doubt about that but you cant help but think about it,’ he said as his team were drawn to face Livingston, who beat Ross County last night. ‘I said that to the players after the game. They have beaten two big clubs in Aberdeen and Rangers and there is no point doing that if you are not going to go all the way is there? ‘I am not saying we are going to win the cup but we genuinely believe we can.’