Gerrard eager to get both stars in his starting XI
The Rangers boss included Nathan Patterson and James Tavernier in the side that drew 2-2 with Arsenal at Ibrox on Saturday and plans to do so again.
Steven Gerrard says it is still a work in progress, but he’s determined to keep experimenting with plans to get right-backs Nathan Patterson and James Tavernier in his team at the same time.
Patterson’s emergence last season as a more-than-able understudy for Tavernier, and genuine first-team contender for the right-back position, has given the Rangers manager something new to consider as the club prepare to defend their first title in a decade.
In Saturday's 2-2 draw with Arsenal, Gerrard introduced the Scotland international in the second half and shifted his captain into more advanced positions against Mikel Arteta’s side.
Utilising both players within one team is something Gerrard will persist with to make the most of all talent at his disposal in the new campaign, both domestically and in Europe.
That, in turn, might deviate from how Rangers have previously played, creating new problems for opposition managers who have sought to stifle the 4-3-3 that performed so effectively in last season’s unbeaten league campaign and Europa League run.
“We’re going to consider it because they’re two really good players,” Gerrard said of Tavernier and Patterson.
“But it’s not something that’s going to happen with the flick of a switch.
"We’ll try to get working on it in training, we’re going to have to get them used to it.
“They’ re two fantastic player sandi can’ t have one of them on the bench for every game of the season, that’s for sure. There’ll be times when it’ll suit us, there’ll be times when I don’t need it.
"But it is something that’s on my mind and something we’re going to experiment with.
“Once everyone’s back I have to have variety because some teams and managers will try and stop this system, because they’ve seen it for years now and within games I might have to tweak something, just to keep people thinking.
“I didn’t want to change system during the game against Arsenal, we had too many changes, so I didn’t want to go to a 4-1-4-1. If we use this system it’ll maybe be in a back three where James is out wide where he’s more used to being.
It’s a work in progress and it’s very early days.”
Rangers led twice against the Gunners on the specially arranged friendly to commemorate the club’s 150th anniversary season, with headed goals from Leon Balogun and Cedric Itten, inset.
As he often was last year, the Swiss striker was again used as a substitute against Arsenal but impressed in addition to his goal – greeted by cheers from the select crowd inside Ibrox for the first time since March 2020.
Gerrard praised the forward and, speaking to Rangers TV, added: “It was a real tough year for Cedric but I thought when he came on her was a real good option from the bench for us. When I asked him to start he never let me down.
"He’s come back for preseason smiling, full of energy and ready to prove his point and stake a claim. He’s certainly doing himself no harm. The noise from 2000 was good but everyone’s looking forward to having [Ibrox] full.”