Rangers have the immediate opportunity to make amends for last Sunday’s second-half capitulation against Celtic, with the Green and White horde set to cross Glasgow for the second weekend in succession with another visit to Ibrox this Sunday – this time in the Scottish Cup.
Danny Rohl’s side raced into a 2–0 lead in the first half last weekend, with two goals from the enigma that is Yousef Chermiti, including an overhead kick which, quite frankly, is the best Old Firm goal I have ever seen in the flesh. Bar none.
Yet the game turned after the interval. Martin O’Neill demonstrated his experience with a pair of half-time substitutions that altered the contest completely, allowing Celtic to escape with a 2–2 draw and throw another spanner into this season’s already frantic title race.
Rohl, by contrast, used only two substitutes despite his side visibly tiring and being pushed deeper during the final half hour.
So, what could he do differently this weekend?
The Back Line
The biggest question surrounds the defence. John Souttar has looked shaky since returning from injury, and Sunday may present a difficult decision.
Dujon Sterling was outstanding in the first half last week, dominating Daizen Maeda before the Japanese international moved centrally after the break.
If O’Neill starts Maeda through the middle this weekend, Sterling’s pace and aggression could make him a better option in the centre of defence.
That could mean dropping Souttar, with captain James Tavernier returning fully rested at right-back for one last chance to drag Rangers over the line with Sterling moving inside to accompany Emmanuel Fernandez.
While pleased with Rangers’ attacking output, Rohl acknowledged defensive vulnerability as a major concern.
He pointed to the number of goals conceded recently and highlighted positioning errors inside the box.
“We are conceding too much at the moment,” Rohl admitted.
“In the last five games, eight. This is too much and this is also a problem we have to improve.”
Boosts From the Bench
Elsewhere, there is little need for drastic change. Jack Butland should continue in goal despite Liam Kelly’s status as cup goalkeeper.
In midfield, Nicolas Raskin needs to rediscover the form that made Russell Martin’s early-season dropping of him so controversial among the Ibrox support.
Alongside him, Tochi Chukwueni offers the athleticism and strength required to dominate Celtic’s midfield with no other obvious changes to the lineup.
One change that must happen, however, concerns the bench. Rangers reacted far too slowly as the match slipped away last week.
The Ibrox boss stressed that he accepts full accountability for both the positives and negatives of the previous performance, describing that responsibility as central to his role.
“I take the responsibility for the first half and I also take the responsibility for the second half because this is my job,” he said.
Injury Issues
Andreas Skov Olsen should continue on the right after providing the pinpoint cross for Chermiti’s opener.
The Dane has flattered to deceive so far following the hype surrounding his signing, with the ever-dangerous Mikey Moore expected to start on the opposite flank.
However, Moore’s involvement is not guaranteed. Rohl revealed the playmaker has been dealing with “small issues” in training and said he would “have to make decisions tomorrow after training” regarding his selection.
That could open the door for Djeidi Gassama to start on the left, having already shown he can be a dangerous option on that flank in comparison to his run outs on the right.
Rohl should also make better use of the options available to manage the game this time around. Nedim Bajrami, Bojan Miovski and potentially the returning Connor Barron could all provide fresh legs late on.
Oliver Antman and Derek Cornelius are also close to returning, with Rohl revealing he currently has a “full house in training” and that “everyone is nearly back”.
That depth may prove crucial. If Rangers are to see this tie through, potentially over 120 minutes Rohl will have to trust his bench more readily than he did a week ago.
Setting the Standards
The German was also open and honest about the standards expected at Ibrox, insisting that winning trophies is non-negotiable.
“As a Rangers manager you have to. As a club you have to,” he said when asked about the need to deliver silverware.
And if Rangers are to win anything this season – league or cup – the burden cannot fall solely on the starting XI.
