KRANJCAR ROLLS BACK THE YEARS
Kranjcar’s classy strike helps sink Thistle as gifted Croatian responds to the critics who query his fitness
JUST when Rangers fans were howling for someone, anyone, to step up to the plate, Niko Kranjcar shook off his early-season torpor to produce a moment of brilliance.
Coaxed back to the UK by Mark Warburton after a period of apparent semi-retirement in America, the former Tottenham schemer has seemed like an unnecessary indulgence at Ibrox, but there was a flicker of past glory in the way he emphatically broke the deadlock in this match.
A sure touch, effortless stride and explosive finish were all part of the mix as the 32-year-old set Rangers on the road to the club’s first Premiership victory in five fixtures, a result that had the added benefit of moving the team back into the top half of the table.
Warburton is not renowned as a great delegator, so the punishment of an afternoon in the director’s box for his post-match rant at referee John Beaton at the conclusion of last weekend’s defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie would have hurt.
The task of relaying touchline instructions fell to assistant David Weir, who seemed to warm to the task, exchanging a few views with fourth official David Lowe along the way.
‘It was different,’ said Weir afterwards. ‘I was in contact with Mark via the phone and through Neil the analyst at half-time. But we’re very similar in our thoughts. Hopefully he’ll be back on the touchline next week and I’ll enjoy being back on the bench.’
With defender Clint Hill ruled out pre-match with a bug, Warburton restored Philippe Senderos to the team, the first time the Swiss veteran has been sighted since his nightmare debut against Celtic ended in a red card.
Eventually booked for tripping Thistle striker Ade Azeez, the former Arsenal man looked scarcely more comfortable here and went unpunished for two further incidents.
Thistle may be rooted to the foot of the table but they started with a composure which betrayed their hosts’ anxiety and weaknesses in defence.
Few have doubted the Maryhill side’s ability to play neat football but Alan Archibald has had to field accusations that too often his side is punchless in attack.
There was certainly a lack of conviction in Ryan Edwards’ header after Azeez had skipped passed Senderos and dug a cross out from the byeline.
Although Chris Erskine and Steven Lawless were repeatedly stretching Rangers with some clever play, Thistle could not summon a better effort to match their territorial advantage.
Rangers needed something to jolt them into life and the adrenaline levels among players and fans spiked in the wake of a bone-shaking tackle contested by Andy Halliday and Thistle captain Abdul Osman.
Halliday came off worst and made a point of showing referee Stephen Finnie the resultant marks on his shin after receiving treatment.
Perhaps Osman deserved a booking and Senderos certainly did for taking out Erskine as the midfielder threatened to break clear. It almost seemed as if Finnie was seeking to level an injustice.
Rangers have seen very little from Kranjcar and his half-time substitution in the Parkhead derby marked a personal low.
Restored to the starting XI, his first league goal for the club was a cracker. The Croatian rolled back the years as he weaved away from a clutch of Thistle defenders and then, just when the angle looked to be getting the better of him, produced a thunderous finish past a ruck of bodies and into the roof of the net.
Curiously, there appears to be a difference of opinion between coaching staff and player as to Kranjcar’s current state of fitness. First the man himself... ‘I have felt really good for a long time,’ said Kranjcar. ‘I have repeated it so many times — I am a footballer who, when I don’t play well, people say I don’t look fit. Then when I do play well, people say I’m the fittest I’ve ever been.
‘It’s something I’m used to. It doesn’t annoy me because I’ve had it since I was 17 years old. It’s part of my life.’
Weir, however, insisted Kranjcar, last active in US soccer’s second tier with New York Cosmos, is still working his way towards peak condition, saying: ‘From day one, the manager’s said he’s catching up. He’s a top-level player. You don’t play 80 times for Croatia, play in World Cups and European Championships without having a level of ability.
‘It’s up to us to get him back to that level of fitness and that level of consistency. He showed today, and he has done in flashes throughout the season, the level he has. Our job is to get him to that stage.
‘He’s working so hard. He trains hard every day, he does extras every day. It’s hard to put a timescale on it, but you can only praise his application and his desire for doing it.’
The lead was soon doubled as Thistle’s calm façade crumbled.
Danny Devine made a major error, gifting possession to Jason Holt, who set Martyn Waghorn on his way. The Englishman drove into the box and then studiously cut the ball back for Halliday to deliver a crisp first-time drive low to Ryan Scully’s right.
Thistle had one last chance to force their way back into the match, shortly after the interval.
There was precision in the forward passes of both Liam Lindsay and Lawless but Erskine could not complete the move decisively, squeezing a shot under Wes Foderingham but with a shortfall in power that allowed the keeper to get back and claw the ball off the line.
Rangers proceeded to assert their dominance.
Barrie McKay outwitted Devine with a brilliant touch out on the wing only to overcook his low cross for Waghorn.
Then Holt twice came close, first forcing Scully into a brave stop at his feet and then making the keeper beat away a fierce shot.
There was warm applause for Kranjcar as he was substituted and, while this was merely a small step forward for the former Tottenham man, perhaps he will come to reflect on this day as a turning point.