What a difference a win makes
With five draws in a row as
Rangers’ last five results, including two under new manager Stuart McCall,
hopes were on the floor for today’s clash with Hibernian.
Rangers’ last five results, including two under new manager Stuart McCall,
hopes were on the floor for today’s clash with Hibernian.
The squad had been bereft of quality,
passion, effort, endeavour or cohesion, and it is safe to say anything other
than a defeat would be viewed as a bonus.
passion, effort, endeavour or cohesion, and it is safe to say anything other
than a defeat would be viewed as a bonus.
With the last three results v the
Hibees being defeats to an overall score of 9-1, the Easter Road outfit went
into today’s match as clear favourites and had the added motivation of stopping
their city rivals Hearts winning the Championship simply by drawing or better.
Hibees being defeats to an overall score of 9-1, the Easter Road outfit went
into today’s match as clear favourites and had the added motivation of stopping
their city rivals Hearts winning the Championship simply by drawing or better.
To say this match did not follow
the script is the understatement of the year, and was the first sign of McCall
starting to impress his ideas on the team and juicing substantially more out of
them than either of his predecessors did.
the script is the understatement of the year, and was the first sign of McCall
starting to impress his ideas on the team and juicing substantially more out of
them than either of his predecessors did.
The initial lineup was hardly
promising, with the usual dross of McCulloch, Mohsni, Law and Miller
punctuating proceedings, and it only doused optimism even further.
promising, with the usual dross of McCulloch, Mohsni, Law and Miller
punctuating proceedings, and it only doused optimism even further.
But after 30 minutes, while play
had not been sparkling from Rangers, it had been tactically spot on. The home
side were completely stifled by McCall’s tactical shift to a 3-5-2, which
reverted to 5-3-2 in defence, and Scott Allan, the destructor at Easter Road
last time, found himself isolated and snuffed out by pressing from Murdoch,
McGregor et al to hound him out the game.
had not been sparkling from Rangers, it had been tactically spot on. The home
side were completely stifled by McCall’s tactical shift to a 3-5-2, which
reverted to 5-3-2 in defence, and Scott Allan, the destructor at Easter Road
last time, found himself isolated and snuffed out by pressing from Murdoch,
McGregor et al to hound him out the game.
With Hibs’ best player nullified,
and McCall’s constant badgering from the touchlines to keep the intense
pressing going, their threat was absolutely non-existent.
and McCall’s constant badgering from the touchlines to keep the intense
pressing going, their threat was absolutely non-existent.
It was the first time in forever
Rangers’ first team worked this hard – McCall laid out a plan of suffocating
the opponents, stopping any of their midfield expressing themselves; where
their midfield had overrun Rangers in January, it was absent presumed missing
today.
Rangers’ first team worked this hard – McCall laid out a plan of suffocating
the opponents, stopping any of their midfield expressing themselves; where
their midfield had overrun Rangers in January, it was absent presumed missing
today.
Even Nicky Law, after a very
quiet first 30 minutes, came into life and started to deploy the ball to more
effective use, while McGregor and his two partners, McCulloch and Mohsni, one
slip from Bilel aside, were pretty comfortable at the back it has to be said.
quiet first 30 minutes, came into life and started to deploy the ball to more
effective use, while McGregor and his two partners, McCulloch and Mohsni, one
slip from Bilel aside, were pretty comfortable at the back it has to be said.
Nicky Clark
might not have had the most effective game, but his effort, workrate and
enthusiasm meant he was a constant thorn in Hibs’ rearguard, and Lee Wallace
rampaged up and down the flank like the Wallace we know and love.
might not have had the most effective game, but his effort, workrate and
enthusiasm meant he was a constant thorn in Hibs’ rearguard, and Lee Wallace
rampaged up and down the flank like the Wallace we know and love.
There is a long way to go, but if
this is the start, at last, of McCall’s revolution at Ibrox, and this kind of
industry, desire, workrate and unity can be sustained, promotion suddenly goes
from a complete busted flush to a genuine possibility.
this is the start, at last, of McCall’s revolution at Ibrox, and this kind of
industry, desire, workrate and unity can be sustained, promotion suddenly goes
from a complete busted flush to a genuine possibility.
The Rangers might just be back.
At long, long last.
At long, long last.