GERS PLAY THE GRIND GAMES
GVB back to winning ways at last .. but it was struggle against bottom side United
It really shouldn’t be this much of a struggle for Rangers.
A game at Ibrox against the Premiership’s bottom dogs can’t involve this much toil.
But right now, everything looks like a hard graft for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s under-performing side.
To their credit, they ground out a win over Dundee United in Govan yesterday.
After three straight defeats to Celtic, Ajax and Napoli – and shipping 11 goals in the process – victory was all that mattered.
But boy, did they make hard work of it?
Antonio Colak’s double – which took his tally to nine for the season – eventually sealed the points for Gers.
But Liam Smith’s second-half strike for the visitors made it another uncomfortable watch for the Light Blue legions.
All is not well within the Rangers camp and the Dutch boss is probably glad of the international break coming up.
For Dundee United, it was another defeat but one that should offer encouragement to interim gaffer Liam Fox.
They’ve clearly recovered from their dizzy spell at the start of the season that saw them lose seven to AZ Alkmaar and nine to Celtic at Tannadice.
Here, they were dogged, well- drilled and a bit unlucky to leave with nothing.
Afterwards, van Bronckhorst was just relieved to get back to winning ways. He said: “It was three points, that was the most important thing.
“We started well and, like so many times at home, we could have scored two or three in the first 15 minutes.
“In the second half we scored early but when we conceded maybe in the players’ minds, it was: ‘ What if ’?
“We had chances to kill the game off and make it 3-1 but didn’t take them.
“I’m just happy to finish this block of games with a win as we now have a two-week break until Hearts away. Today, it was just important to win.”
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to try and second guess van Bronckhorst when it comes to his team.
Against Napol i in the Champions League, he turned to the old guard
Yesterday, he gave youth a chance with Leon King and Charlie McCann both starters.
Alfredo Morelos – who returned to face the Italians – spent 90 minutes on the bench with Colak restored to the starting line-up.
Van Bronckhorst either doesn’t know his strongest 11 or he is sending a clear message to the Ibrox club’s board and recruitment department that he’s not happy.
Once again, £10m worth of talent in the shape of Ben Davies and Ridvan Yilmaz had to settle for being subs along with Bayern Munich loan kid Malik Tillman.
Another summer arrival, £2.5m winger Rabbi Matondo, wasn’t even in the squad along with Glen Kamara whose form has nose-dived.
United’s caretaker boss Fox doesn’t have such luxuries.
He was forced into one change with Steven Fletcher injured so former Rangers youngster Glenn Middleton got the nod.
The Terrors were backed by a t ravel l ing suppor t who disgraced themselves during a minute’s silence pre-kick off for the late Queen Elizabeth.
They were noisy for 60 seconds but quiet after eight minutes when Rangers took the lead.
Ryan Kent should have broken the deadlock when he missed a sitter eight yards out from a brilliant Ryan Jack cut-back.
But big Colak showed the winger how to finish.
James Tavernier robbed Ian Harkes in his own half after a
United corner and galloped up the right flank.
As ever, he picked the right pass to the Croatian striker who took a touch before burying it past keeper Carljohan Eriksson.
It was a deadly finish from Colak who had quickly repaid his manager’s faith in him.
That should have signalled a flurry of Rangers chances. But unlike in their capitulation to Celtic, United were far more compact and resilient.
In fact, they played their way into the game in a 15-minute spell during which Aziz Behich forced Allan McGregor into a save at his near post.
Rangers actually looked more dangerous on the break when they had space to hurt United.
Jack mugged Jamie McGrath before feeding Scott Arfield in the box but he fired wide.
United’s Irish midfielder is more renowned for his creativity and his sublime pass to Harkes set up United’s best chance.
Middleton was clean through on McGregor but the 40-yearold showed his quality again when he saved with his legs.
Gers regained control before half-time but weren’t exactly peppering Eriksson’s goal.
Five minutes after the restart, the game turned on its head.
United were denied a penalty when Tony Watt felt he was barged by Borna Barisic.
Ref Kevin Clancy was having none of it – and moments later it was 2- 0.
Barisic wrapped his left-foot round a cross and predator Colak got in front of Charlie Mulgrew to guide it home.
That gave the away side a mountain to climb. A few weeks ago United might have crumbled but not now. Before the hour mark, they’d pulled a goal back – and it was a thing of beauty.
Sub Sadat Anuku did brilliantly to play a one-two with Watt and feed McGrath.
With Rangers’ back four stretched, he played in the overlapping Smith who slotted past McGregor for 2-1.
Suddenly United had a surge of belief while Rangers’ play had become laboured – and their fans were getting restless.
Gers sub Scott Wright stung the palms of Eriksson and young McCann squandered a chance in the box by kicking fresh air.
With eight minutes left, Gers should have put it to bed.
Connor Goldson’s back post header was perfect for Tillman who was thwarted by Eriksson’s point-blank stop.
But in the end, Rangers weren’t to be denied a muchneeded victory.