YOU CAN’T GIVE US KOP BILLING
There is an essence of Anfield about Rangers under Gerrard, but the boss just won’t have it
TO some, it was a goal that could easily have been coloured red rather than blue. A flowing team move started in the right-back zone, progressing slickly through midfield and reaching Borna Barisic overlapping on the opposite flank. The finale was set up with an accurate delivery cut low into the path of Ryan Kent. His emphatic, first-time dispatch flew into the net via a post to give Rangers the lead at Celtic Park.
There was a touch of Liverpool in the construction and execution witnessed on December 29. Indeed, former Celtic and Scotland manager Gordon Strachan went on to claim the Ibrox side were now functioning identically to Steven Gerrard’s first love.
‘The way Rangers set up is literally Liverpool,’ said Strachan, the day after Gerrard masterminded a first away derby win for his club in nine years.
‘You could close your eyes during a Liverpool match, switch channel, open your eyes again and see the same team, but playing in blue.’
Gerrard appreciates the flattery, but it is not a comparison he is willing to extend. While admitting he picked up more than a few tips from Jurgen Klopp during his stint as Liverpool’s Under-18 coach, the 39-year-old rejects any realistic idea that Rangers can somehow operate on a similar plane to his former employers.
He views the champions of Europe — now closing in on their first English title for 30 years — as being very much football’s current premier force.
‘Listen, I’m not going to sit here and pretend to be anywhere near that man (Klopp) or that team, which is the best in the world right now,’ insisted Gerrard, speaking at Rangers’ winter training base.
‘There are certain aspects of us tactically and in the way we set up that, of course, I learned from being part of Liverpool. But we’ve nothing but admiration for the Liverpool team and manager right now.
‘They’re obviously operating on a completely different level to most right now, but we do play with attacking full-backs, which is similar, and a front three, so there are a few similarities, I know where you are coming from.
‘But in no way, shape or form can we start thinking we’re Liverpool, individually or collectively. But there are little similarities in the shape of the team. Listening to my players, they have nothing but admiration for Liverpool.’
Kent’s goal could instead be considered an exquisite example of Rangers’ progression under
Gerrard’s own methods. The £7million winger was a beneficiary of Barisic’s upturn in form during the past few months, with seven assists now produced in 15 Premiership appearances.
‘The players in the team have to take the credit for that,’ said Gerrard when asked about the construction of the move.
‘You’ve got a left-back who is in incredible form and who is showing why he’s the Croatia left-back. He’s getting into those areas and delivering. To show that composure to find Ryan was great.
‘We are trying to get Ryan closer to goal to get more numbers in his game, but across the board it was a fantastic team goal.
‘I’m sure come the end of the season when the accolades are given out that will certainly be in the top three. It will definitely be in my top three, whatever happens between now and the end of the season, because to go from one end of the pitch and show that quality in the final third, in that arena... it was a fantastic goal.’ The Old Firm result, sealed by Niko Katic’s second-half header, shifted Rangers two points behind Celtic with a game in hand at the top of the Premiership.
It also confirmed Gerrard’s satisfaction with the shape of his squad. After signing 11 new players last summer, the current window will largely be about consolidation and moving on some of those with little chance of featuring. Andy King has returned to Leicester after his loan was cut short, while £2m winger Eros Grezda has rejoined Osijek on a permanent contract, having failed to make any positive impact during 18 months at Ibrox.
‘We went for volume in the summer for the reason that we needed it to cope with the first 37 games there have been,’ said Gerrard.
‘We are sitting here now more thinking that we need to get more out of players already in the door, who maybe haven’t contributed as much in the first six months.
‘We are working with individuals to try and get more out of them. They will feel like new signings if they come to the party. But we always have our eye open. If someone becomes available before the end of January, is affordable and would give us a better chance of success, don’t be surprised if we dip in. But there is nothing right now to talk about.’
Gerrard stresses he has not been told of a financial imperative to sell. And he won’t leave himself too thin given the plethora of challenges to come in the Premiership, Scottish Cup and Europa League during the second half of the season.
‘In my last board meeting, the chats with Dave (King) and being around Ross (Wilson) before we came out here, it’s never once been mentioned that we are under pressure to sell any players in the short term,’ he said.
‘In terms of those looking for football, we will be respectful but I won’t leave myself short. My job is to protect the club because we have a lot of football coming up.
‘We have already played 37 games. But, having said that, the squad is too big and we can afford to let two or three move out. If that gets to three or four then that’s when maybe I might have to bring someone in.’
They’re operating on a completely different level