STEVEN GERRARD
● Manager laments lack of cutting edge as Blackburn are let off the hook in friendly
laments Rangers’ lack of a cutting edge as Blackburn are let off the hook in pre-season friendly at Ibrox.
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard warned his players to wipe out some familiar traits following a 1-1 friendly draw with Blackburn in front of a crowd of just under 19,000.
Jermain Defoe gave the hosts a deserved lead after half an hour, but they were unable to make their dominance count, and Rovers, managed by former Celtic and Hibs boss Tony Mowbray, hit back midway through the second period to earn a share of the spoils at Ibrox.
Gerrard selected a strong starting XI, with recent arrival George Edmundson handed a start in central defence.
Borna Barisic, linked last week with French side Dijon, continued at left-back while Defoe was preferred to Alfredo Morelos in attack. Summer signings Jordan Jones and Sheyi Ojo started on the wings, but Portuguese wideman Daniel Candeias was omitted from the squad with the former Porto youngster in talks over a move to Turkey.
The visitors, skippered by Scotland defender Charlie
“We need to be more ruthless in front of goal and kill teams off when we’re on top. Preseason has been good but it shows we need to learn and improve”
STEVEN GERRARD
Mulgrew, had their chances in a lively opening spell, with a Bradley Dack effort blocked and Allan Mcgregor saving well from Darragh Lenihan.
At the other end, Ojo and Scott Arfield went close for the hosts before Jones delivered a cross into the box that Defoe powered past Rovers keeper Jason Leutwiler. But that goal was all Rangers had to show for a dominant hour before making four changes, including the introduction of new Swedish defender Filip Helander. They soon conceded an equaliser after losing possession deep inside their own half, with Rovers midfielder Lewis Travis sweeping home from close range.
Substitute Morelos had the ball in the back of the net with seconds remaining but the Colombian’s strike was ruled out by an offside flag, with Gerrard, pictured, frustrated by his team’s lack of killer instinct in the final third.
He said: “We had enough chances to win the game. We were very comfortable first half and even started the second half pretty well. Making the substitutions, we lost a bit of organisation and shape and we turned the ball over in a crucial area of the pitch and paid for it. We need to be more ruthless in front of goal and kill teams off when we’re on top. Pre-season has been good so far but it shows we still need to learn and improve.” Asked about Helander’s debut after the match, Gerrard told Rangers’ website: “I thought he handled his debut pretty well, but he is still three weeks behind the boys, so we will keep pushing him and by the time he is fit and ready, he will know the philosophy more and he will know how we want to play.” Gerrard confirmed Candeias is closer to an Ibrox exit after the winger travelled to Ankara for talks with newly-promoted Super Lig side Genclerbirligi.
Meanwhile, Mowbray felt the fixture had been the “perfectgame”fortheewoodpark side, adding: “Rangers were good with the ball, especially in the first half. They are a well coached team and they have good players. It was certainly a good workout for us.”