he_2
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Posts posted by he_2
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Table as at Saturday 19th December 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
19
16
3
0
53
8
51
45
Glasgow Rangers
18
15
3
0
51
10
48
41
Motherwell
19
11
4
4
34
18
37
16
Heart of Midlothian
19
9
3
7
29
30
30
-1
Kilmarnock
18
8
5
5
22
21
29
1
Dundee United
19
5
8
6
18
27
23
-9
Livingston
19
4
6
9
22
32
18
-10
Aberdeen
19
5
2
12
18
27
17
-9
Hibernian
19
3
7
9
19
35
16
-16
St Mirren
19
2
10
7
14
33
16
-19
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
19
3
4
12
14
32
13
-18
St Johnstone
19
3
3
13
11
30
12
-19
Friday 18th December
Dundee Utd
0
2
St Johnstone
Saturday 19th December
Celtic
1
1
Rangers
Hibs
3
2
Livingston
Inverness
2
0
Hearts
Kilmarnock
1
0
Aberdeen
Motherwell
4
0
St Mirren
0 -
Saturday 19th December 2020: Glasgow Celtic v Glasgow Rangers (SPL)
Venue: Parkhead
Att: 60,411
Managerial Record v Glasgow Celtic: P 5 W 0 D 4 L 1 F 5 A 9
Six days before Christmas and goodwill was in short supply at Parkhead. I think with this experience I’d nearly managed to complete Scottish Football. Wow, the Old Firm on the road is something else! Nothing I’d been part of before came close to preparing me for the utter hostility we received. Not even the home game with Celtic, the atmosphere had felt tame by comparison but then maybe that’s because we weren’t the ones on the receiving end of tens of thousands of passionate football fans supporting their side and pouring bile on us from a very great height.
It was a testing atmosphere and a gauntlet that I’d have to run, to come through if I wanted to manage at the very highest level. This was pressure, real pressure, and I simply could not be cowed. I had to stand up to it, I had to keep my head down, close my ears to the noise and find that focus where anything outside the bubble of whatever was happening on the pitch didn’t matter.
There were a couple of changes from the side that handsomely defeated Dundee United with Filip Helander returning from his ban to take his place alongside Connor Goldson and Borna Barisic returning for Reza Durmisi at left-back. Otherwise it was as you were.
The tone was set very early on. James Tavernier was breaking over halfway when Boli Bolingoli slid in two-footed and just below knee height. Credit to the referee, he was straight out with the red card as he ran onto the scene even though there was less than 80 seconds on the clock. The Celitc defender couldn’t believe what he’d done and was in tears as he trudged off, burying his head in his shirt. That was the absolute epitome of someone being over-psyched before the game and letting adrenalin get the better of him.
I was quickly onto the touchline to speak with Ryan Jack. ‘Jacko, listen, we have to stretch them now when we have the ball. Get the two full-backs to hug the touchlines and you sit in when we’re attacking if they leave two up and try and counter us, okay?’
‘Aye, got it boss.’ He turned and trotted off as we settled down into a nice pattern of passing that didn’t threaten a great deal but perhaps saw us with 60% or so of the ball. I didn’t mind that, if it meant we could wear the home side down by working the ball from side to side for an hour then that was more than okay by me.
What I hadn’t banked on was what happened in the 14th minute when Alfie Morelos was dispossessed by Callum McGregor down our right flank. The midfielder looked up and saw Leigh Griffiths immediately on his bike, spinning off Helander and into the gap between the two centre-halves. The long pass forward was perfect and Griffiths, who was in the goalscoring form of his life was onto it in an instant. With one touch to bring the ball down, a second to get into the penalty area, the third saw the ball flash beyond Robby McCrorie and into the back of the net to give the hosts the early advantage.
Game-plan undone?
Well no, not really. We needed to be more vigilant of that ball in behind us – we did play a notoriously high line – but if we were to get any success then with the extra man it would come through being patient and continuing to work the ball wide, to probe for gaps. Obviously, it wouldn’t be easy against a side of Celtic’s quality in the cauldron of noise that had only increased in temperature since the goal. They’d be well organised and well drilled in playing with a man down – Neil Lennon wasn’t a fool – but we had to trust in our quality that we had enough to get ourselves back into the game.
On 18 minutes we were awarded a soft free-kick inside the D on the edge of the box. Ryan Kent stepped up and would have had the mother of all jobs to have got the ball up and down and on target. His effort was blocked but rebounded nicely for Helander who drilled a low shot at goal. With Marko Malencia rooted to the spot the effort took a nick off of Christopher Julien’s ankle and thankfully for the home side went a yard wide of the post.
‘Good, well done boys! Keep pushing, keep pressing!’ I urged from the sideline.
Although a man down, the home side had a number of players that were able to carry the ball from deep. Ryan Christie, James Forrest and most dangerously their on-loan Portuguese international winger from Wolves, Ivan Cavaleiro and it was his pace and trickery that saw him drive past a couple of challenges before firing a shot at goal left footed that McCrorie did well to get down to with his foot to block.
He was causing us all sorts of problems with the elusive positions he was taking up and his direct running. A couple of good blocks from Tavernier first and then Jack denied him further efforts at goal as Celtic enjoyed a spell of pressure, pinning us back for a few minutes. By and large we were bossing possession but creating very little whilst every time Celtic broke they potentially looked like scoring. That was a little bit of a concern to be perfectly honest, with half-time approaching and I was deep in thought about how to swing the game in our favour.
Cavaleiro was also something of a selfish goat at times too, something that was all too clear on the stroke of half-time when he once again ran from deep at the heart of our defence, outpacing Goldson. A simple ball into the path of Griffiths would have set the Celtic marksman in on goal, instead he choose to push the Scotsman out of the way, electing to go himself and ended up firing wastefully over the top from just outside the penalty area.
I was relieved, a second goal would have made life very difficult for us in the second half. Whilst it was still 1-0 we were right in the match.
HALF TIME: Glasgow Celtic 1-0 Glasgow Rangers
Letting the boys catch their breath I didn’t rant, nor did I rave. I kept things constructive. ‘Keep getting the ball wide, boys. Keep trusting in the process. You will get chances, take them. The most important thing is to keep our full complement on the field. You’ve already seen one or two of them niggling, trying to get you involved in their tawdry little bits and pieces, don’t give them the satisfaction of biting. Come on boys, believe, the game’s there for you still.’
I removed Scott Arfield and brought on Jordan Jones to try and stretch the home side a little more, with him and Ryan Kent coming in off either flank to create space for the full-backs we’d surely be able to create something at some stage. As and when we did, we had to take the chance.
Eight minutes after the restart Kent swung in a free-kick from wide on the left after Barisic had been baulked illegally. The delivery was right into the mixer where there must have been a dozen shirts of varying hues. The one in all mauve came out to collect, got nowhere near the ball and as the ball sailed over him, Connor Goldson simply stooped to nod the ball into the gaping net from no more than a couple of yards out.
Green and white hooped shirts besieged the referee imploring him to blow for a free-kick for a foul on Malencia, but there was none to be seen. Goldson’s 3rd goal of the season had levelled things up.
The delight on our bench was unbridled, I really felt that they were there for the taking now. If we could get the second goal then they’d need to come at us which would create gaps for us to exploit on the counter. That next goal couldn’t have been more crucial.
Two minutes later, however, all of that went out of the window as for some completely inexplicable reason James Tavernier chose to rake his studs down the calves of Cavaleiro a couple of yards outside the penalty area. It was a spiteful challenge to put it politely and the referee once again had absolutely no hesitation in brandishing the red card. Tavernier tried to plead a case that wasn’t there to be pleaded before reluctantly leaving the arena.
‘You absolute d-head!’ I spat at him as he walked past me down the tunnel, completely unable to hide my fury at his foolishness.
After the free kick we dropped Jordan Jones into a right wing-back role to try and still get forward but also nullify the increased threat from Cavaleiro who had managed to get up gingerly to try and run off the knock he’d received in the challenge.
Neil Lennon was urging his side forward and as we were preparing another change with Troy Parrott getting ready to replace the ineffectual Morelos, a ball down the right from Hatem Abd Elhamed once again found Griffiths in space in behind one of our centre-halves, this time Helander. I feared the worst but thankfully this time the ball was on his weaker right foot and the ball went harmlessly behind. Gary Mac was apoplectic about the defending, turning the colour of a Ribena berry prior to juicing as he berated the tall Swedish defender.
With 20 minutes remaining excellent build-up down the left saw the ball moved inside for Callum McGregor. Again, Griffiths found space in between the two centre-halves and when the ball was fed through to him, again I fully expected the net to bulge. It didn’t, because McCrorie made an excellent save, plunging to his left to push the ball behind for a corner kick. The sigh of relief, tinged with mild despair, was palpable on the bench around me. I thrust my hands into the pockets of my coat and patrolled the technical area deep in thought.
From the corner Jozo Simunovic headed the ball back across goal where the recently introduced Mikey Johnston could only head over the top with his first touch as he looped the ball towards the far post. Could we survive? Could we get one more chance ourselves?
Another corner delivered this time to the near post was met again by the head of Johnston and once again, the header was marginally too high, skimming a coat of paint off the top of the crossbar on its way behind. That was with 11 minutes remaining.
Four minutes later, after a good spell of pressure in which we worked the ball from one flank to the other and back again, going backwards when we needed to but keeping the ball, Aribo found Kent who for once found a couple of yards of space in which to operate. He found Brewster inside the six-yard box with the angle against him and chose to try and beat Malencia at his near post. The ball thudded against the outside of the upright and behind for a goal-kick when a drilled cross across the 6-yard box might have been better with Parrott waiting for a tap-in and a couple of Celtic defenders who might have gotten a touch into their own net.
With the game moving into stoppage time there was final opportunity for Griffiths, who once again found himself in between our two centre-halves for the umpteenth time and was located by another excellent McGregor pass. Through on goal, for the third time McCrorie made an excellent stop to deny the league’s top scorer a late winner that, if I was completely honest, wouldn’t have been unwarranted for the home side.
We held on, we came away with a point and after scoring 14 goals in our previous 4 matches had shown another side to our game from that free-flowing free-scoring one in recent weeks. We’d knuckled down, worked hard and ground out a point from a game that on balance we should have come away with nothing.
I wasn’t particularly pleased with the performance but with another match around the corner just three days later against Inverness Caley Thistle, I didn’t think there would be much to be gained by holding too much of an inquest. File it away, take the point and move on.
There were three matches to be played in the next 10-days to complete that frankly ludicrous winter schedule and before we could enjoy two and a half weeks away from competitive action. If we could get to that point of the season and still be unbeaten in the league, still be in touch with Celtic then we could look forward to a very interesting 2021.
FULL TIME: Glasgow Celtic 1-1 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Barisic, Jack, Aribo, Arfield (Jones), Kent, Morelos (Parrott), Brewster
0 -
Table as at Wednesday 16th December 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
18
16
2
0
52
7
50
45
Glasgow Rangers
17
15
2
0
50
9
47
41
Motherwell
18
10
4
4
30
18
34
12
Heart of Midlothian
18
9
3
6
29
28
30
1
Kilmarnock
17
7
5
5
21
21
26
0
Dundee United
18
5
8
5
18
25
23
-7
Livingston
18
4
6
8
20
29
18
-9
Aberdeen
18
5
2
11
18
26
17
-8
St Mirren
18
2
10
6
14
29
16
-15
Hibernian
18
2
7
9
16
33
13
-17
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
18
2
4
12
12
32
10
-20
St Johnstone
18
2
3
13
9
30
9
-21
Tuesday 15th December 2020
Dundee Utd
0
3
Rangers
Hibs
1
1
Hearts
St Johnstone
0
1
Aberdeen
Wednesday 16th December 2020
Celtic
1
0
St Mirren
Inverness
0
3
Motherwell
Kilmarnock
4
2
Livingston
0 -
Tuesday 15th December 2020: Dundee United v Glasgow Rangers (SPL)
Venue: Tannadice
Att: 11,644
Managerial Record v Dundee Utd: P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 4 A 0
Midweek sent us on a bit of a Tuesday afternoon road-trip, headed north to Tannadice Park and the challenge of taking on Robbie Neilson’s upwardly mobile Dundee United side. The Terrors were enjoying a very impressive first season back in the SPL, sitting comfortably in the top half, five points ahead of 7th placed Livingston and were coming into the game on the back of five matches unbeaten in the league. Indeed, since we’d beaten them just over three months previously at Ibrox, they’d lost just once – predictably against Celtic. That equated to just the sole defeat in their previous 12 matches.
We would be in for a stern test.
I was without Filip Helander for the trip due to suspension for cautions accumulated, which gave an opportunity to George Edmundson alongside Connor Goldson at the heart of the back four. The other change was bringing in Reza Durmisi for Borna Barisic who I was resting for the weekend Old Firm tussle. I did consider replacing Alfie Morelos with Troy Parrott, the Colombian had only netted three times since we’d previously met the Terrors. That was 3 goals in 11 games. Looking back, with a couple more years under my belt I would have made the change, given Alfie a bit of a breather and gone with Troy who, particularly after his hat-trick at St Johnstone, was probably perfectly entitled to have expected more starting opportunities than he was getting. He kept his head down though and didn’t complain, which I felt, would stand him in good stead for whatever happened in the future.
The weather was utterly miserable, cold wet and windy, so I wanted us to warm up the fans who had travelled up to support with an early goal.
In the 9th minute a cross into the box was half cleared to the edge of the penalty area. It was picked up by Ryan Jack who fed Joe Aribo and his slipped it into the path of the overlapping Reza Durmisi. The Danish left-back got into the penalty area and as he looked to go past Logan Chalmers, felt his ankle clipped from underneath him. Down he went, out went the official’s arm and he pointed to the spot. The young full-back was desperately unhappy at the decision but after a couple of looks, he shouldn’t really have had any complaints, I wouldn’t have done had the award gone the other way.
Once everything had settled down a and a little bit of nonsense on the edge of the box between Scott Arfield and Jonathan Afolabi had been dealt with, Alfie Morelos took responsibility in the absence of Barisic. Benjamin Siegrist went to his left, the ball went to his right – not particularly near the corner – but that barely mattered. The net rippled and that early strike had been supplied and Morelos moved into double figures alongside Ryan Kent and Rhian Brewster.
Any hopes that we might go on another rampant streak of goalscoring were swiftly dashed as Dundee United showed just why they’d had such a good start to the campaign and, in particular, why they were in such a good place in the league. They kept their shape excellently and continued to play football. They weren’t too shy to try and attack us, luckily we were defensively very good as well and kept the lively pairing of Afolabi and Laurence Shankland largely in check.
Chalmers’ difficult afternoon got no better as, on 28 minutes, his pass left Jeremie Frimpong rather short. Ryan Kent nipped in to win the ball and set Joe Aribo on the gallop forward. At pace he sidestepped and sashayed his way past Kamil Drygas and then Josh Grant before firing a left-footed drive across Siegrist into the far corner of the net. A really well taken by the midfielder who was continuing his magnificent form and taking himself onto 5-goals for the season.
The cushion of the second goal did see the impetus shift slightly further in our direction. A couple of minutes after going 2-0 up, some lovely one-touch football ended with Ryan Jack setting up his Kentish namesake to dribble inside onto his right foot and from just outside the penalty area curl a shot very narrowly wide of Siegrist’s left-hand post with the goalkeeper clutching at thin air.
A couple of minutes further on and a Tavernier free kick into the box caused a few issues for the home defence. The ball fell for George Edmundson – his shot was blocked, but the ball fell for Scott Arfield. An adroit ball to his left found Goldson in space and the Englishman with an angle, much like that which Helander had scored from the weekend before, fired a powerful effort at goal. It was slightly too close to Siegrist who, nonetheless, diving to his left pushed the ball wide with a couple of strong hands for a corner kick.
It should have been 3-0 on 35 minutes when neat build-up from back to front saw the ball worked to the right-hand side for Tavernier, who had exchanged passes with the increasingly influential Arfield and sent a cross into the box. Siegrist came to claim, missed and Brewster could only direct his header a yard wide of the gaping net. ‘I was unsighted by the goalkeeper,’ the youngster claimed at the break to a little bit of derision from his laughing team-mates. It may well have been the case, however it was a golden opportunity that had gone begging.
HALF TIME: Dundee United 0-2 Glasgow Rangers
I was pretty content at the break. We’d largely continued where we’d left off in the previous game and a half, giving very little away at the back and looking like we’re carrying a threat quite regularly going forward. The message once again was very simple. Keep going, get the third goal and move onto the Old Firm at the weekend.
The home side re-jigged a little at the break after that ten minutes or so after we got the second goal that saw them rocking a little more than Robbie Neilson would have been happy with.
It took more than 25 minutes for us to really look like breaking them down whilst they did press and probe us, but we continued to look extremely solid defensively. They simply didn’t appear to have the guile or spark to break us down.
On 72 minutes Jon Flanagan, who had replaced James Tavernier, swept a lovely cross-field ball out to another substitute, Jordan Jones (on for Ryan Kent). He cut infield and played the ball into the path of Aribo. The midfielder, without breaking strike, struck the ball first time left footed and was desperately unfortunate to see it flash narrowly over the angle of post and bar.
A low-key but absorbing second period came to belated life with two minutes remaining. Once again Aribo was at the centre of things, riding a heavy challenge from Drygras to bring the ball forward and feed the third substitute, Glen Kamara. The Finn swept it wide for Durmisi who knocked it back inside for Kamara. An exchange of passes with Aribo and Arfield saw the ball worked right for Flanagan. He tried to get the ball into the box but saw his cross blocked. It came back out to him so he played it back for Arfield who ran onto it and fired a low shot at goal. A defender bravely threw himself at the ball and blocked it superbly. Unfortunately for him it fell right into the path of Morelos and with Siegrist on the floor having dived for Arfield’s shot, the finish couldn’t have been simpler.
My decision to keep the Colombian in the side had been vindicated, even Troy was off the bench to salute the goal. It would have been so easy for him to feel a little miffed and, quite honestly, hopeful that the strikers would simply fire blanks so that he got his chance.
Another three points, another three goals that took us to 50 league goals for the season some way before the hallway point of the league campaign. That was pleasing.
Once again, we’d not picked up any new injury concerns ahead of the big Old Firm clash at the weekend. With both sides still matching each-other with 17 matches each played (Celtic would put themselves a game ahead the following evening) there was even more at stake than simple local bragging rights.
Whilst Celtic would be hard at work hosting St Mirren (they would battle with 10 men to a 1-0 win to put themselves 3 points ahead of us), we would be resting up ready to get down to training on Thursday morning and begin the hard yards ahead of trying to upset the apple cart at Parkhead.
FULL TIME: Dundee United 0-3 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier (Flanagan), Goldson, Edmundson, Durmisi, Jack (Kamara), Aribo, Arfield, Kent (Jones), Morelos, Brewster
0 -
Table as at Sunday 13th December 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
17
15
2
0
51
7
47
44
Glasgow Rangers
16
14
2
0
47
9
44
38
Motherwell
17
9
4
4
27
18
31
9
Heart of Midlothian
17
9
2
6
28
27
29
1
Kilmarnock
16
6
5
5
17
19
23
-2
Dundee United
17
5
8
4
18
22
23
-4
Livingston
17
4
6
7
18
25
18
-7
St Mirren
17
2
10
5
14
28
16
-14
Aberdeen
17
4
2
11
17
26
14
-9
Hibernian
17
2
6
9
15
32
12
-17
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
17
2
4
11
12
29
10
-17
St Johnstone
17
2
3
12
9
29
9
-20
Wednesday 9th December 2020
Aberdeen
1
1
Inverness
Friday 11th December 2020
Rangers
4
0
Hibs
Saturday 12th December 2020
Aberdeen
0
1
Motherwell
Livingston
0
2
Dundee Utd
St Johnstone
0
1
Kilmarnock
St Mirren
0
0
Inverness
Sunday 13th December 2020
Hearts
2
4
Celtic
0 -
Friday 11th December 2020: Glasgow Rangers v Hibernian (SPL)
Venue: Ibrox
Att: 50,817
Managerial Record v Hibernian: P 6 W 3 D 2 L 1 F 14 A 7
I couldn’t believe how much lighter of spirit and soul I felt following that chat with Leah, it had been an evening full of catharsis for both of us, we were back texting regularly although not back together. There was unquestionably still feelings on both sides of the relationship, but we agreed that we both needed time to think about what we’d talked about so frankly before deciding on how we moved forward – if indeed, there was a ‘we’ to move forward with.
Focus then switched back to football and getting ready for the visit of relegation threatened Hibernian. After Jack Ross had been sacked back in October, Paul Lambert had taken on the role and came to Ibrox firmly ensconced in the hot-seat, just after his 1-month anniversary, and focused on pulling the Edinburgh side away from the danger zone. Things were slowly improving, the only defeat in their previous four games since he’d taken over was a 2-1 defeat at home to Celtic. Since then they’d picked up a vital win at Inverness, gained a fine point at home to Motherwell and another vital point at St Mirren. Early signs were that Paul was focusing on making Hibs difficult to beat.
For our part, I was keen to see if that second half performance in the League Cup Final was a sign of the shackles that had largely been applied (of course, all this is relative) since the beginning of October were finally being loosened to give way to a more confident, free scoring outfit or not.
I made two changes from the cup-winning side, Borna Barisic returning at left-back in place of Reza Durmisi whilst Rhian Brewster was preferred alongside Alfie Morelos alongside Troy Parrott up front.
We began the game full of confidence as you’d expect from a side that was coming off the back of a 4-0 win yet failed to make the early breakthrough that I’d hoped we might. Indeed, Lambert had Hibs well organised and although we dominated possession, we found it very hard to break his side down. They defended the 18-yard box superbly and any efforts were from distance and not particularly threatening.
On 20 minutes we finally managed to get in behind when Ryan Kent was released by a decent ball by Barisic down the left-hand side in behind Stephen O’Donnell. Kent hit the afterburners and outpaced the back-pedalling green shirts, to find himself clean through on Ofir Marciano. I couldn’t see from where I was, but he must have given the goalkeeper ‘the eyes’ as Marciano went one way and the ball nestled neatly in the other corner to open the scoring.
That saw the visitor’s game plan unravel. They needed points in their battle against the drop and had been set-up to frustrate, not to carry the game to us at all. With a sudden need to get back into the game, we had the opportunity to turn the screw, something that we did with gusto and a healthy appetite.
Four minutes after going ahead, a corner was headed clear and picked up ten yards outside the Hibs penalty area in the inside left channel with plenty of space to work with. Looking up, he swung a left footed ball out to the right-hand corner of the penalty area was it was met on the half-volley by Filip Helander. The execution of the strike was one that any striker would have been delighted and although Marciano got a hand to the effort, he could only help it into the top corner of the net. A terrific strike, quite out of character from the Swede who didn’t show that kind of prowess, even in training. 2-0, and Helander ran off to celebrate nursing an expression of mild disbelief of his own.
By the half-hour mark, the game was over as a contest as we struck for a 3rd time inside 10 minutes. Although there was a modicum of fortune as the ball ricocheted off a defender’s heel into the path of Rhian Brewster, the build-up that had involved Connor Goldson, Helander, Joe Aribo, Ryan Kent and Scott Arfield threading the ball through the eye of three or four needles deserved a goal and Brewster’s finish caught Marciano a little unawares and the ball was beyond him before he was able to move.
In the 36th minute Hibs were handed a golden opportunity to get themselves back into the game, Goldsone making the rare error and getting caught underneath the ball allowing Niklas Bendtner the opportunity to find space, attack our penalty area and fire a powerful shot goalwards. It fizzed across the face of goal and not far wide, had it been on target Rob McCrorie would have gotten nowhere near it purely because of the power in the strike.
That was a momentary blip, however, as four minutes later Aribo’s fine ball had sent Kent scampering clear in behind O’Donnell once again. Cutting inside and into the penalty area, this time Marciano wasn’t fooled and went the right way as Kent opened up his body, yet the result was the same. He found the bottom corner and ran off to celebrate his 13th goal of the campaign.
That simply was game over five minutes before half-time.
HALF TIME: Glasgow Rangers 4-0 Hibernian
We’d been irrepressible in that 20-minute spell in which we’d scored four times, taking our tally across the previous 90-minutes to 8-goals without reply.
‘Boys, that’s magnificent stuff, well done. Listen, we’ve a lot of games ahead over the next three weeks, don’t overdo it in the 2nd half. Keep the ball, keep working them, take any chances that come your way but listen, I’m not going to kill you if you take your foot off the gas a little. If they score then we push again. Keep yourselves fit, any hint of a twinge or knock and let us know, we’ll take you off and get it checked out.’
A simple half-time message, there really wasn’t much else to say.
The second half took a little while to get going, when it did it very nearly produced the goal of the season which, given some of those we’d already seen, was quite something. Edmundson had played a long ball forward and looked to have overhit it somewhat, Marciano being the favourite to claim it. However, out of nowhere Brewster appeared on the scene and in mid-air hit a first-time volley from 16-yards out as the ball dropped out of the sky. It thundered back off the upright with Marciano in no-man’s land and the intake of breath from around the entire stadium was palpable as the striker executed the skill and went so close to a fifth goal.
With 8 minutes remaining, Brewster seized on another poor defensive clearance and from the left by-line, cut it back for the waiting Morelos who was just outside the 6-yard box. At the very least the Colombian ought to have hit the target from that range, instead he went for power over accuracy and fired wildly off-target.
That was the extent of the second half action save for a further five yellow cards to add to the seven that had been dished out before the break in what had been, at times, a little bit of a fractious affair. Did that take the sheen off our win? Not for me it didn’t. We’d needed to win to keep Celtic honest ahead of us and we’d come away from the match without any injury issues ahead of our visits to Dundee United and the league leaders over the coming 8-days. No, this was very much a case of job done by half-time and then seeing the game through intelligently after the break.
FULL TIME: Glasgow Rangers 4-0 Hibernian
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson (Edmundson), Helander, Barisic (Durmisi), Jack (Kamara), Aribo, Arfield, Kent, Brewster, Morelos
0 -
We were tucked away in a booth in a bar, out of sight and out of mind of most. She’d arrived first, I was a few minutes later. ‘So sorry,’ I apologised as I removed my jacket, hanging it up on the peg that was attached to the wall. ‘Meeting overran.’ A waitress swooped upon us almost immediately.
‘Can I get you a drink, sir?’ She asked.
‘What are you having?’ I asked Leah, who was already nursing a cocktail of some sort or other.
‘Porn star martini,’ she replied.
I had a quick look at the menu before ordering myself an autumn ale and another cocktail for Leah.
‘Phew,’ I exhaled, offering Leah a smile. ‘Time to relax.’
‘Busy day?’ Leah asked.
‘So-so, had a quiet morning but just been in this afternoon with the recruitment team working on targets for next month.’
She took a sip of her drink through a straw. ‘Any hints?’
‘Haha, sadly not. Nothing anywhere near concrete right now. You probably have a good idea of areas that we’re looking to strengthen,’ I said.
‘Probably,’ she nodded.
‘So, we’re still getting targets together and doing a little preliminary research to see who might be available.’
‘Anyone heading out?’
‘Maybe one or two. Some of the younger lads might head out the door if their contract is up in the summer and they can organise something either temporarily or more permanently.’
‘So, any noise about Barisic or Morelos leaving should be ignored?’
I fixed her with a stare for a moment. ‘We’re not actively looking to sell.’ I replied.
She flashed me a smile. ‘There’s a little scope there to read between the lines.’
Ruefully, I shrugged before repeating myself. ‘As I say, we’re not actively looking to sell.’
The waitress returned with our drinks and set them down on the table. ‘I’ve set up a tab for you behind the bar,’ she said. ‘I hope that’s okay.’
‘That’s perfect, thank you so much,’ I replied.
‘Tell me then, Leah, what’s prompted this?’ I motioned my hands around the booth.
Looking at her drinks, almost measuring the contents of one against the other she took a moment before answering. ‘This isn’t easy, but I wanted to talk to you about what happened in the summer.’ She began, hesitatingly, as if trying to find the right words. I waited for her to continue. ‘When I rang you about the vacancy at Ibrox I wanted nothing more than for you to apply and get the job. I thought you would be a really good fit for Rangers, which you have been so far, but more than anything else…’ she tailed off suddenly and her gaze dropped to the table as she breathed a sigh that was coated in something, regret maybe?
‘Go on,’ I encouraged her softly.
‘Well…’ she returned her gaze to me briefly before taking a deep breath and almost blurting out ‘…well, I thought then we’d be able to stay together.’ Looking at her, it seemed almost as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She straightened up in her seat and was able to look me in the eye again, her hands busily playing with the stem of her glass. ‘The thing is, though, Jones, you didn’t seem at all interested in the job and so, I spent a lot of time resigning myself to the fact that we’d have to try the long-distance thing. And I was prepared to try it, really I was, it took a lot of thinking and talking and even a couple of therapy sessions to come to terms with that. Then, I turn up at Ibrox to interview Gary Mac and lo-and-behold there you are dressed up like a schoolboy on mock interview day. Damn, Jones, that was a shock I wasn’t prepared for at all.’
All of this was news to me, I had no idea at all. ‘The only thing I could do was cut myself off,’ she went on, hitting her stride. ‘That’s why I ignored your calls. I implored my bosses to send someone else in my place for your unveiling but they insisted, it was the last thing I wanted to do. It was self-preservation, isolating myself from you. I needed to look after myself, I was hurting – I still am, I guess, but I’m working through it all. And to that end, I wanted to ask you why?’
‘Why what? Why did I apply for the job without telling you?’ I asked.
She nodded.
It was my turn to take a moment to collect my thoughts. As Leah had clearly done, so I had spent a lot of time and effort thinking about us and what had happened, only without the benefit of knowing the reasons behind her cutting me off so suddenly and abrupt. Now I had that and many of my suspicions were confirmed.
‘After I moved north of the border it wasn’t altogether easy settling in. Quite young, taking on a fairly high-pressured job and suddenly living out of a hotel room, trying to convince myself that I was worthy of the chance that I’d been offered by Hearts, to put on an armour of confidence and self-assuredness that I didn’t feel at all.’
‘Yes, you’ve talked about that before.’
‘Absolutely. When I heard your Dad was ill last year and I sent those flowers and tickets – I did that because I was missing my folks quite a bit and was thinking about how I’d feel if I was that close to losing one of my parents. As well as wishing him a speedy recovery I guess I knew that you were a long way from home as well and that in some small way I wanted you to know that I was thinking of you too.’
She nodded. ‘It was a really thoughtful touch.’
I smiled. ‘Thank you. Anyway, the next six months or so were amazing, honestly, being with you made me happy. It gave me confidence that I was in the right job, you gave me confidence as a person that I’ve not felt before and well, since you’ve laid your cards on the table, I ought to do the same, I had fallen for you hard.’ I saw her eyes widen as I said that.
‘How hard?’
My turn to take a deep breath. ‘F-ing hard.’ I replied. ‘The idea of moving abroad and knowing that you couldn’t, that was really hard. Like, really hard to get my head around. So, when you rang me telling me to put the telly and I read that Stevie had taken the Palace job, all of a sudden there seemed to be a little bit of hope, a chance – albeit a slim one – that maybe I wouldn’t have to move away.’
‘Why the quavering f- didn’t you tell me this?’ She asked, her tone hard. ‘At the time.’
Looking down at my bottle and contorting my face slightly. ‘I was scared.’
‘Scared?!’
I exhaled deeply rubbing my face with my hands as I did so. ‘Yes.’
‘Of what?!’
‘Of giving us false hope, or something like that. I wanted to protect myself, I wanted to protect you – I wanted to protect us from having this little glimmer of hope that we wouldn’t have to try and do the whole long-distance thing and getting our hopes up. I mean, the thought of doing that and then being disappointed if I didn’t get the job, goddamn, that would have been so bloody awful to have dealt with. Absolutely crushing. Like you, I’d resigned myself to giving long-distance a bloody good go…’
Finally, I looked up and into her eyes that were slowly filling with tears.
‘Are you okay?’
‘I thought you were looking for an excuse to break up with me!’ She exclaimed.
I was genuinely taken aback. ‘What?!’
‘I thought you hadn’t told me because you wanted us to split up. I thought you’d given up on us.’
‘Jeez, whatever gave you that idea?!’
‘You didn’t bloody tell me about going for the Rangers job, you fool, did you? When I saw you waiting for your interview at Ibrox I just couldn’t fathom whilst you didn’t tell me. I thought you’d done it because you didn’t want to be with me, it made me wonder what other secrets you were keeping for me. Jeez, Jones, I couldn’t handle it.’
I could feel tears falling down my cheek.
‘F-ing hell, Leah. I really made a mess of this, I’m so sorry!’ I used my sleeve to wipe them away. ‘I thought that if I could somehow get the role and then tell you, that’d it’d be the best possible surprise, you know? I had it my head as being like the ultimate in romance.’
She laughed through her tears. ‘Bloody hell, Jones, you’re an idiot. As sweet as that idea is and was, don’t ever do that to a girl again.’
‘Oh, believe me, I’ve learned my lesson!’ I reached over to put my hand over hers, ‘I’m really sorry.’
She gave me a smile. ‘I’m pleased we’ve been able to get all of this out in the open, even if it’s five months later than it should have been.’ Removing her hands from underneath mine she sat back in her seat and motioned to get the attention of a waitress. ‘Another drink?’
We sat there for another three hours, slowly drinking and talking. Football, life, just like it had been before the misunderstanding. When we got to 11pm, I settled the bill and offered to pay for her to get a cab home. ‘There’s no need, Jones,’ she said as I helped her on with her coat. ‘Thank you though.’ She reached up to kiss me on the cheek. ‘I’ve enjoyed tonight, in the end.’
‘Me too, Leah. Me too.’
0 -
Table as at Sunday 6th December 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
16
14
2
0
47
5
44
42
Glasgow Rangers
15
13
2
0
43
9
41
34
Heart of Midlothian
16
9
2
5
26
23
29
3
Motherwell
16
8
4
4
26
18
28
8
Kilmarnock
15
5
5
5
16
19
20
-3
Dundee United
16
4
8
4
16
22
20
-6
Livingston
16
4
6
6
18
23
18
-5
St Mirren
16
2
9
5
14
28
15
-14
Aberdeen
15
4
1
10
16
24
13
-8
Hibernian
16
2
6
8
15
28
12
-13
St Johnstone
16
2
3
11
9
28
9
-19
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
15
2
2
11
11
28
8
-17
Friday 4th December
St Mirren
1
1
Hibs
Saturday 5th December
Hearts
0
1
Dundee Utd
Livingston
3
0
St Johnstone
Sunday 6th December
Motherwell
0
2
Celtic
0 -
Sunday 6th December 2020: Aberdeen 0-0 Glasgow Rangers (Scottish League Cup Final)
Venue: Hampden Park
Att: 51,866
SECOND HALF
The roar from the crowd as the action got back underway was electric. Turning to face the action as Morelos got things underway, I had to admit that having the game goalless at the break was no bad thing for the occasion as a spectacle. As much as I’d love to have been three goals to the good, I wouldn’t have had goosebumps with only half of the stadium rocking.
Our start was quite as intense as it had been in the first period, the opening two or three minutes passing without incident. There was an early corner which was well headed clear by a red-shirted head. Joe Aribo scampered out to the right and with the assistance of a slightly fortunate ricochet managed to get the ball back into the box. Ryan Jack latched onto it, took a touch and then saw his shot blocked. It fell nicely for Ryan Kent and the winger picking his spot, calmly caressed the ball right footed along the lush Hampden turf, beyond the vain dive of Lewis and into the bottom corner of the net. As he wheeled away in celebration with a glance over his shoulder to check there was no flag, the half of the stadium to my left absolutely erupted in delight.
I tried to keep my emotions in check, allowing myself a little silent fist-pump and some urgent applause, a high-five with a couple of the coaching staff and most of all, an enormous sigh of relief. Now we’d see what Aberdeen had about them.
We went right back on the attack from the restart, Morelos forcing a corner that came to nothing, but signalled our intentions to keep going nonetheless. Tavernier combined well again with Morelos down the right and this time the Colombian’s cross wasn’t repelled. Indeed, this time was met with a bullet header by the onrushing Aribo yet Lewis was alert to plunge to his right and produce a very good save to push the ball behind.
The midfielder would only have to wait three minutes longer before grabbing his reward for what had been up to that point, a quite superb personal performance. Tavernier picked up a rebound and surged towards the by-line down the right flank. From there he sent a beauty of a cross in towards the far post where it was met by the head of Aribo some 8-yards out. Lewis didn’t have a hope this time as the ball flew beyond him into the top corner of the net.
As so often happens, one goal had brought with it a second within five minutes and we now found ourselves in control of the tie. You could see the despair filtering through the Aberdeen players, there were hands on heads, hands on knees and recriminations a-plenty. They looked gone.
Shortly afterwards, another Tavernier cross was met by the head of Aribo, this time a red-shirt did enough to put the midfielder off and his header went harmlessly over the top. We were picking up plenty of free-kicks as the opposition discipline began to falter. Another one was headed behind by Cosgrove in his own penalty area for a corner from which Troy Parrott arrived at pace to plant a free header narrowly over the angle of post and crossbar. He should really have hit the target.
I took the opportunity to replace Scott Arfield who looked to be tiring a little, with young Nat Young-Coombes in the attacking midfielder role.
Just past the hour mark Michael Ruth had Aberdeen’s first effort of the second period, a strike from 25 yards that rolled limply into the waiting hands of McCrorie and things began to feel a little flatter than they had been for most of the game. Reza Durmisi had been struggling since the first-half with a niggle, so I replaced him on 65 minutes with Jon Flanagan and also introduced Rhian Brewster, who was really champing at the bit, in place of the hard-working Troy Parrott.
The two early goals had certainly reduced the intensity of the match as a contest, Aberdeen’s belief had completely drained away whilst we continued to control the game but without carrying too much threat. With twenty minutes I was up urging the boys to redouble their efforts. Even I was beginning to feel fairly confident that we’d be returning across town with the silverware in tow, but I really wanted us to try and end with a flourish rather than just going through the motions and running the clock down.
Brewster cut in off the left flank after receiving a throw-in from Flanagan and laid the ball inside for Young-Coombes, his first-time left footed effort produced another smart stop from Lewis, this time diving to his left to hold on to the ball. A few minutes later he was forced into another decent save, this time from a Goldson header as the centre-half got up at the far post to meet another Tavernier free-kick delivery.
As the contest entered its final 10-minutes the Rangers fans were in party mode whilst those supporters that had made the journey down from the east-coast continued to give their boys strong backing. Ryan Kent found Rhian Brewster in space inside the penalty area with a cute and clever reverse pass. The angle would have backed the striker using his left foot – he didn’t, he elected to take the shot with his right and could only find the side netting.
Tavernier then blocked an intended cross from Ruth with his heel and Young-Coombes picked up the loose ball. He measured a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Morelos who drifted inside and then played a ball into the path of Brewster, just inside the penalty area once again on his left foot. This time the striker let the ball run across him, opened up his body before drilling a powerful right-footed effort across Lewis and into the bottom corner of the net.
It was a superb finish and had certainly answered the challenge that I’d laid down to him before the game. Emphatic stuff and if there had been any way back into the match for Aberdeen, the door had now been firmly closed in their faces.
‘That’s done it now, Macca,’ I said to my assistant.
‘Aye, well done, gaffer. Enjoy the next few minutes, lad.’ McAllister replied with a wide grin.
We took the foot off the pedal a little, understandably, and Aberdeen enjoyed a little spell of pressure that yielded nothing in terms of chances. Balls were tossed into the box more in hope than expectation. With 4 minutes remaining Tavernier went on a trademark lung-busting run down the right-hand side and still had the wherewithal to get a decent cross into the box. Joe Aribo met it yet powered his bullet header over the top.
‘Jonesy give us a wave, Jonesy Jonesy give us a wave.’ What option did I have wearing a smile I turned to the supporters behind the goal that we were attacking and acknowledged them, my wave greeted with an almighty roar. It felt good. It was a moment that was going to stay with me.
There were a couple of minutes of the 90 remaining when Ryan Kent led a break down the left-hand side and threaded a fine ball through for Young-Coombes. The young substitute confidently made his way into the penalty area and fired a low drive beyond the ailing dive of Joe Lewis into the bottom corner of the net to turn the party into a carnival with his first ever senior goal. And what a stage upon which to open his account. If Brewster’s strike had been the icing upon the cake, Young-Coombes’ was the jelly drop on top of the icing.
In all my many thoughts about the final, this had absolutely blown my best-case scenario square out of the water. It had been a magnificent display, probably our best of the season to date. I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere as the last couple of minutes ticked away.
The whistle went and as one set of players began wild celebrations the other set slumped to the floor in despair. I shared a moment with the backroom staff before making my way across to commiserate with Derek McInnes. He was very generous in his praise of our performance, which was ever so gallant of him. Even more so as the result hammered another nail into his coffin. Three days later, after a 1-1 draw at home to Inverness Caley Thistle, he was sacked by the board at Pittodrie and replaced temporarily by Barry Robson.
I was accosted by Leah Young on the pitch whilst the stage was being put together for the presentation ceremony. She’d just finished interviewing Joe Aribo who had deservedly picked up the Man of the Match award from James Tavernier and plonked me in front of a perspex sheet full of various sponsors name.
LY: Jones, congratulations. You lived up to your tag as favourites, how do you feel?
‘I said before the game I made us slight favourites, it took us a while and we had to overcome a very determined side but yeah, as you say, we lived up to that tag. I couldn’t be happier, I’m absolutely delighted.’
LY: This is obviously a great moment for Rangers, looking forward can you build on this success and challenge for further silverware in the future?
‘I don’t see why not. That’s what we’re aiming for. This will give the players confidence going into the second half of the season and whilst obviously we’re there to be shot at now, I have plenty of faith in this set of players that they can use today as a building block to a successful future.’
LY: Were you concerned at half-time that perhaps in spite of looking the better side that maybe this might turn into one of those days?
‘I guess when you don’t take your chances that thought does linger at the back of your mind. I wasn’t disappointed at the break though, remember Aberdeen arguably had the two best opportunities of the half so we could easily have gone in behind at the break. We just had a chat at the break, reminded the boys to keep things simple, to remain patient and when a chance did fall for us to make sure we took it. Second half we were clinical in front of goal and that was really pleasing.’
LY: I think they’re about ready for the presentations, thanks, Jones, and many congratulations.
‘Thanks Leah.’
I rejoined the boys and watched on as the crestfallen Aberdeen players went up to collect their medals. Within a couple of minutes it was our turn, the boys going up one-by-one to collect their medals and take the acclaim of the crowd. Finally, it was my turn to climb the three steps onto the stage, shake hands with the presentation committee, take my medal and make my way to the rear of the group.
James Tavernier slowly made his way forward, placed his two hands on the cup, hesitated and looked behind him at his team-mates, a smile as wide as the Clyde across his face. Then he lifted it to the sky and the noise from the Rangers faithful was absolutely deafening.
For the 29th time Glasgow Rangers were the Scottish League Cup winners. For the 1st time I was a cup winner.
They say you never forget your first.
They aren’t wrong.
FULL TIME: Aberdeen 0-4 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Durmisi (Flanagan), Aribo, Jack, Arfield (Young-Coombes), Kent, Morelos, Parrott (Brewster)
0 -
Sunday 6th December 2020: Aberdeen v Glasgow Rangers (Scottish League Cup Final)
Venue: Hampden Park
Att: 51,866
FIRST HALF
We made a keen start, Alfie Morelos pressing Joe Lewis as he received the ball back from kick-off and forcing the goalkeeper to hurry his clearance nervously out of play for a throw-in. Tavernier restarted play just in front of the Aberdeen bench, exchanged passes with Ryan Jack before the midfielder sent a deep cross into the box that was overhit and drifted out of play for a goal kick.
Lewis’ second clearance, this time from a dead ball was little better than his first. He kept it in play, but only found Tavernier who had space to break into. He played the ball down the right for Morelos, who had peeled off into space. The Colombian attacked the right-edge of the penalty box but was well defended as his cross hit a defender and went out for the first corner of the afternoon. From Ryan Kent’s delivery towards Filip Helander at the far post, a red shirt rose highest to head clear, the ball fell for Jack who worked himself space for a shot from the corner of the penalty area, his effort was high, wide and handsome. Still, with less than two minutes on the clock it had been an encouraging start.
The first clear-cut opportunity fell to us in the 4th minute when Troy Parrott broke the offside trap to get onto a lofted ball forward and find himself clear on Lewis’ goal. Given the form he was in I fully expected the net to bulge, but a marginally heavy touch saw Lewis take the opportunity to spread himself, block at Parrott’s feet before Scott McKenna cleared for a throw-in.
From the throw in, Tavernier exchanged passes once again with Jack, feinted to cross the ball instead playing it inside for Scott Arfield who lined up a powerful strike at goal. Lewis saw it late but did well to sprawl to his left and use two fists to block the shot. As it rebounded it bounced up and Joe Aribo stretched to direct a header on target, unfortunately he could only put it over the top.
‘This is a good start,’ I uttered to Macca who was stood next to me.
‘Aye, should be ahead though, gaffer,’ he responded before shouting at Ryan Jack just to sit in a couple of yards deeper when Tavernier was attacking to cover his skipper.
Ryan Kent then picked up a cross-field pass from Tavernier, turned and used the overlapping run of Durmisi as a decoy and cut inside to attack the penalty area before looking to curl one inside the far post. He didn’t quite get the execution as he’d have liked and Lewis comfortably gathered the ball. Still less than 5 minutes on the clock and we were already in complete control of the game.
Indeed, if we’d broken the deadlock by that point you could argue that we were mildly rampant, but since we hadn’t, it was rather more difficult to make that claim. Tavernier delivered a free kick to the far post which was met by the ever-present set-piece threat of Helander, the tall Swede got plenty of power on the header but couldn’t keep it down and the ball went a yard over the top.
It really felt as though the opening goal would come at any moment, every time we attacked we did so with purpose and carried a threat, yet even though the Dons simply couldn’t get out of their own half, they were defending well. Lewis was also already looking inspired between the sticks. In the 12th minute he made his best save yet when he was at full stretch diving to his right to push a powerful low Tavernier strike wide of goal and behind for a corner.
The flag-kick was initially half-cleared but the ball well recycled by Durmisi who fed it inside for Arfield who found himself with a fairly clear sight of goal. His radar was faulty on this occasion, however, and his powerful effort sailed harmlessly wide of the target with Lewis not even having to dive.
It was a quarter of an hour before Aberdeen were really able to break out of their half and deliver any sort of pressure on our back four. Tavernier conceded a pretty cheap and needless free-kick on the Aberdeen left flank. Shay Logan swung it in to the far post where Lewis Ferguson eluded the attention of Ryan Kent to thankfully send his free header wildly over the top of the goal and into the photographers behind the advertising hoardings.
‘Oi!’ I was up on my feet yelling at my skipper. ‘No more cheap fouls, Skip, don’t release the pressure. And for f-s sake, get Kenty switched on at the back stick!’ Tavernier put a thumbs up as Rob McCrorie prepared the goal kick and passed the message along to Ryan Kent.
That half opening did exactly what I didn’t want it do, it gave the Dons confidence and they grew. Our inability to open the scoring when on top very nearly saw us come undone on 17 minutes when Michael Ruth twisted, turned and wriggled past a dizzied Tavernier and crossed for a totally unmarked Sam Cosgrove to plant his header straight at a grateful and relieved McCrorie. Goldson and Helander had found themselves hopelessly out of position and only an ordinary finish from the Aberdeen marksman saw them let off the hook.
After the breathless opening, the two sides settled a little and there were a few minutes respite as the pace dropped. Ryan Jack did threaten to break through but was denied by a fine challenge and at the midway point of the half, Morelos’ low cross into the near post found Parrott, but his effort was blocked by an excellent McKenna intervention. Connor Goldson shortly afterwards met a Kent corner at the near post but saw his glanced header well held by the well-positioned Lewis.
I could feel the tension and frustration rising amongst the boys at their failure to turn possession and chances into goals. In the 29th minute only a well-timed clearing header by Durmisi behind his own goal prevented Cosgrove from nodding into an unguarded net to open the scoring after Ruth had found his way past both Tavernier and Goldson. We were trying to force things too much, try things that weren’t on rather than sticking to the simple things. And with Aberdeen having weathered quite a storm their confidence continued to grow.
Both Gary Mac and I were on our feet imploring the boys to get back to basics, to remain patient. So long as we did the right things reward surely had to come. In the 34th minute it very nearly did, twice, Parrott being played through by a fine ball from Aribo and bearing down on goal from an angle. Once again Lewis did well to spread himself and block the Irishman’s effort, the ball broke for Ryan Kent who knocked it back to Durmisi. The Dane’s cross into the box was headed clear but as it fell on the edge of the box Arfield met the ball on the volley and sent it skimming just over the top – this time Lewis was worried enough to be at full stretch as the effort flew over him.
‘Better! Much better boys!’ I shouted, probably in vain. Such was the noise around the place that I could barely hear myself, so there was little hope of those 60-odd yards away hearing me.
We rode another piece of luck when another Shay Logan free kick was delivered to the far post and this time it was Max Kilman who had escaped the attention of his marker – this time not Ryan Kent but Durmisi – thankfully Helander stepped in to cover and block the shot before Durmisi cleared.
‘We need to have a word about that far post at the break,’ I said to Gary Mac. ‘Do you want to mention it?’
‘Aye, no bother. That’s what, twice?’
‘Three times if you include the Cosgrove chance a little while ago.’
‘Got it,’ he said, making a note.
The best chance of the half, for us anyway, fell a couple of minutes before the break. A Tavernier free-kick found Goldson in all sorts of space and the centre-half met the ball as it fell to earth with a side-footed finish. It was headed just inside the post and would have broken the deadlock were it not for yet another intervention by Lewis, once again at full stretch and with the best save of the lot, turning the ball away for a corner. Goldson wasn’t alone in holding his head in mild disbelief.
From the corner Helander unleashed a left-footed half-volley that was more danger to any passing satellites than the blank scoreline and then seconds before the whistle Kilman made a superb intervention cutting out a Morelos cut-back that would have left Parrott with the simplest of tap-ins. That still wasn’t the final action of the half as a headed clearance by Tavernier was met on the half-volley by Dean Campbell and McCrorie was forced to fall to his left and turn the ball behind for a corner.
The whilst brought an action-packed 45-minutes to a conclusion with the scoreline mystifyingly blank. Everyone trooped off the field and into the dressing rooms, Derek McInnes no doubt heartened and encouraged by his side’s performance. I wasn’t too disappointed by my own side’s efforts.
I waited for a couple of minutes whilst the boys settled down, got some refreshment and took their seats before starting.
‘Hey, overall that’s been good, lads. A bit of a funny five minutes where we stopped doing the simple things well and tried to do the complex things badly. You’ve been in almost full control and know as well as I do that we should be ahead.’ I looked around the room and saw every set of eyes trained on me. ‘Just a couple of things for the second half. Keep working the ball, keep moving off the ball, they can’t live with you when you do that. Chances will come, we know that and keep getting your shots off. He can’t save everything. Don’t get frustrated, remain patient, it’s going to come. Okay?’ Nods and murmurs of assent. ‘Good. Macca, over to you, pal.’
My number two highlighted the two or three times we’d been caught out at the far post and really urged us to remain a lot more vigilant with balls into our box.
‘Hey, get that first goal, lads. That’s the key. Well done, keep it going. Do what you need to do in the next seven minutes and go again.’
I left them to it by and large, just going around the room to have a couple of quiet words with people, but keeping the message positive, all the while nursing a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that this could end up as being One Of Those Days.
The buzzer quickly went. We’d find out whether it would be soon enough.
HALF TIME: Aberdeen 0-0 Glasgow Rangers
0 -
Sunday 6th December 2020: Aberdeen v Glasgow Rangers (Scottish League Cup Final)
Venue: Hampden Park
Att: 51,866
Managerial Record v Aberdeen: P 6 W 3 D 1 L 2 F 12 A 8
Pre-Match
Okay, I’ll admit it. I was nervous. This was the biggest match of my managerial career so far. The 69th time I’d prepared a team for action and whilst the majority of them had ended in success, this was the one I wanted to win more than any of those previous 68. Why? At the back of my mind I still felt as though I didn’t belong, as those I was some sort of wolf in sheep’s clothing impersonating a manager and that nothing short of luck and good fortune had brought me this far. Somehow, in my slightly confused and broken brain, I thought that leading a club to silverware would finally eradicate those lingering doubts and justify to all the doubters that I was here on merit. And by the doubters, of course I largely just meant myself.
The amount of energy I put into covering up my insecurities was immense and often left me exhausted. It was entirely necessary though, I couldn’t stand in front of the boys and display that inner turmoil that chewed away at me, I had to wear the cloak of confidence and the mask of assuredness every time I stood up to address the squad, every time I had one of them in the office for a chat, every time I stood in front of the cameras or press pack.
A case in point, during the ten minutes I spent quietly with Rhian Brewster trying to explain why I was leaving him out of the starting XI my inner monologue was questioning whether or not I was doing the right thing. Was I going to damage the kid by leaving him out? Was I jeopardising the team’s chances by preferring Alfie to him, especially since Rhian was my top scorer. What would the fans make of it? Would they be murmuring their discontent when the side was announced? Shaking their heads in disbelief and wishing a plague upon my household? Of course, it didn’t matter, I’d made the choice because a) I couldn’t very well drop Troy after his midweek performance and b) of the two I felt at that time that Alfie was a greater goal threat than Rhian, who was four games without scoring. ‘I know you’re hurting,’ I told him, ‘there’s every chance you’ll get on. When you do prove me wrong.’
‘Oh, don’t worry, boss, I intend to!’ he retorted.
Another case in point, half-an-hour before kick-off when I was in front of the Sky cameras in the tunnel whilst the boys were warming-up and had a smiling Leah peppering me with questions.
LY: Jones, your team selection has offered little in the way of surprise except perhaps the omission of Rhian Brewster. Are you confident ahead of kick-off?
‘I think I would make us slight favourites but that’s purely based on the form book. As we know, form counts for nothing in cup ties and least of all in cup finals. I’ve had to make a choice with the team selection, particularly up-front where I have three lads fit, in-form and firing and today Rhian is the unlucky one. He knows my reasons though and I’m sure we’ll see him at some point during the afternoon.’
LY: Joe Lewis has been in terrific form recently for Aberdeen, how do you solve the problem of beating him?
“Every goalkeeper, even the very best, has a weakness, however minor. Joe’s a magnificent goalkeeper, one of the best in the country but we’ve beaten him before and we’re confident we know how to do so again this afternoon.”
LY: And what about Dean Campbell in midfield, he was influential the last time the teams met and has been crucial for the Dons in their run to the final. Do you have a plan to stop him?
“You’re right, Dean had an excellent game a couple of weeks ago so we know all about the threat he carries. We’ve worked on a couple of things in training that we think can help nullify that threat though.”
LY: And for yourselves, Borna Barisic isn’t fit enough to play today. Have you been happy with Reza Durmisi’s performances at full-back?
“Absolutely, we’re very lucky to have two outstanding options at left-back and whilst Borna is out, Reza will keep doing his thing.”
LY: Thanks, Jones. Good luck this afternoon.
“Thanks, Leah.”
The cameras stopped rolling and I began to walk away with a smile and nod in her direction when she put her hand on my arm to stop me.
‘Can we talk?’ she asked, just low enough to be out of earshot of her crew and Derek McInnes who was awaiting his turn in the spotlight.
‘Now?!’ I replied incredulously.
‘Of course not now, you fool,’ she laughed. ‘Tomorrow evening maybe?’
‘Oh, okay, yeah, sure.’
‘Great, I’ll drop you a text later. Good luck!’ She turned back to greet my opposite number with the same warmth she’d shown me and I headed back down to the dressing room, putting all of that to the back of my mind.
I checked my watch, there were another 10 minutes or so before the boys would come back in from the warm-up. I took the time to pour myself a cup of tea and sat myself down in Rob McCrorie’s place. Resting my head against the back of the cubicle, I closed my eyes, exhaled deeply and just let my mind wander for a few minutes, breathing deeply, slowly, trying to count to three as I inhaled and then again as I breathed out. I could feel myself relaxing, the tension ebbing away. I sat there for six or seven minutes before I was disturbed by physio Steve Walker, who had come in to pick up some tape from his bag.
‘Alright, gaffer?’ he asked.
‘All good thanks, Walks. Just taking a moment to relax.’
‘Good idea, you won’t get much of that during the game.’ And with a chuckle he was gone. I roused myself, took a sip of the tea and checked my tie in the mirror before the players began to troop in for their final preparations.
I’d said all that needed to be said, but thought I’d add a little more for good measure as the clocked ticked around to 2:55pm.
‘Boys, listen up!’ I called above the shuffling, the scraping of boots on the changing room floor which quickly ceased. ‘Hey, listen up. Okay. I don’t have much to say, you all know the game plan, nothing changes from our usual approach. Impose yourself on the game early on, pass the ball with confidence and get amongst them. We know their confidence is going to be fragile so the earlier we get that first goal the better.’ I was interrupted by the buzzer. The boys began to stand up. ‘Bring the trophy home, boys and hey, f-ing enjoy the occasion, yeah?! Good luck!’
Gary Mac opened the door and the boys filed out, the starting XI taking their place behind the officials in the tunnel and James Tavernier greeted the mascot. The subs and coaching staff all filed past and out to the bench whilst I stayed behind a moment, took a moment to take a few more deep breathes, checked my shoes and as I heard the clatter of boots begin to move outside the door, followed on behind down the tunnel out into the winter sunshine and the cacophony that greeted my ears. Rows of photographers and a cameraman tracked me as I turned right and walked down the touchline to shake hands with Derek, wishing him well, and then back to take my place in standing up in the technical area. I could do nothing more now except wait. Wait and hope for the best.
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Funnily enough, the pre-match build-up ahead of the League Cup final was less intense than that which had foreshadowed the first Old Firm meeting of the campaign. I found that slightly strange and, if I’m honest, a little bit disappointing. The match was being seen by most as a foregone conclusion, particularly with Aberdeen in dire straits having lost 7 of their previous 8 league matches (the eighth match was a goalless draw with Hibs) and with the midway point of the season approaching in danger of being drawn into the relegation dogfight.
Manager Derek McInnes was under even more scrutiny than he had been a fortnight before when we had beaten them 2-1 at Ibrox and it was largely felt that whilst an ‘unlikely win’ might buy him more time, that the powers that be at Pittodrie were already lining up his successor.
I sympathised with him enormously even if I was unable to empathise. I felt fortunate that I’d so far not really had to put up with too much noise around my position. Some at the beginning at Hearts, some scepticism amongst the Rangers faithful too as well as one or two in the press when I made the move to Ibrox, but nothing compared to what Derek was having to try and manage. I didn’t envy him in the slightest.
If anything, Aberdeen’s predicament only served to make sure that I emphasised the need for us to be fully focused and aware. The spotlight would be on us and the expectation was that we would win the game. We had to make sure that we didn’t show any degree of complacency. To that end, during training on Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning I mixed things up a lot, I wanted to keep the boys on their toes and guessing even though, I suspected, deep down most would probably have been able to recognise whether or not they were likely to be starting the game. I kept things close to my chest though only making the team public an hour and a half before kick-off. There were two lads who got the benefit of an early heads-up in an attempt to assuage their likely disappointment at being left out of the starting line-up, and to be fair to both of them, each were more than entitled to feel disgruntled at their non-inclusion.
Away from the training ground, I spent the players’ day-off looking at a couple of videos of Aberdeen’s matches with Celtic and Livingston as well as taking myself off for a haircut and picking up my bespoke suit that I’d had made by an independent one-woman band who offered dressmaking and tailoring services. I’d gone for a chic dark blue affair that came with a gorgeous sky-blue shirt and silken dark blue and red tie, complete with a club branded tie-clip. The final shopping stop saw me pick up some tan brogues. Everything fitted beautifully, I felt really comfortable and even if my insides were going to be churned like butter in a dairy, I’d be able to look the part on the outside.
There were plenty of interviews with the usual suspects across the few days in the lead-up to the game and the pre-match press conference lasted a little longer than usual, some different questions rather than the usual run of the mill stuff.
James Boyle: Jones, Rangers won the competition last season yet there’s only a handful of teams that have claimed back-to-back triumphs and defending the League Cup is clearly one of the toughest tasks a team can face. Having come all this way, can you get across the line and win the match?
We’re under no illusions at all, tomorrow’s going to be extremely tough. Aberdeen will be wanting to win this one just as much as we do and Derek will have his boys raring to go. We have to make sure that we match their intensity from the moment the game kicks off.
Leah Young: The League Cup is just one of a number of trophies Rangers could potentially win. Would a win tomorrow act as something of a springboard for further successes?
Oh, absolutely, yes. Glasgow Rangers has been built on success throughout its history. The past decade or so has been relatively lean, obviously, but I firmly believe that picking up the trophy tomorrow afternoon will see the boys get the taste and leave them hungry for more.
A noticeable little smile from Leah as I answered, that was interesting. Since taking the job at Ibrox I’d received not even so much as a grimace, I wondered whether she was softening a little or whether I was misreading the situation. There was no time to dwell on it, however, as the next question followed on swiftly.
Kara Warwick: There’s a feeling amongst many that Aberdeen’s James Wilson could well have a significant impact on the final. Would you agree he’s a top player?
Oh, absolutely. James has been a real prospect for a few years now but in the last 18-months or so he’s really begun to deliver for Aberdeen. He’s someone I have a lot of admiration for, as I do everyone in Derek’s squad.
Kyle Connell: How are you going to counter the threat posed by James Wilson? Who will you detail to watch him?
I chuckled softly.
Come now, Kyle, you don’t really expect me to give away my game-plan now do you?
That provoked some soft laughter amongst the press-pack.
KC: Well, no harm in asking.
LY: A number of supporters feel that your 3-0 extra time win over Alloa was probably the best your side have performed in the run to the final. Would you agree?
I think we played well in extra time against Alloa, I’d agree that those 30 minutes were the best we’ve played in the competition to this point. Having said that, I think it’s fair to say we haven’t really been anywhere near our best so far in the competition yet. I’m hoping we can change that tomorrow.
KW: This is one of the biggest games of the season and all Rangers fans will be watching on with high expectations. Does that make you anxious at all?
Not really, no. Expectations are high at this football club and rightly so. They’re high for a reason. The entire squad are equally aware of what’s expected of them, it’s been made abundantly clear to them throughout the last couple of days.
James Sutherland: Will you be making any changes to your line-up for the big match?
We’ll check on the players in the morning, make sure everyone’s fit and focused before making the final decisions regarding team selection. Will there be changes from the game on Tuesday night? Probably, yes, but a number of boys took their chance at St Johnstone and have given me a number of difficult decisions to make.
JS: Can you reveal how you’ll be looking for your side to play?
You mean in terms of our approach to the game?
JS: Yes
In the same way we approach every game. Just because it’s a cup final won’t alter our mindset in any way. I want us to get hold of the ball, put them on the back foot and take control of the tie from the first moment onwards.
JS: You’ve guided Rangers into the League Cup Final which is also your first cup final as a manager, congratulations.
Thank you.
JS: Can you now go on and win it?
I think most betting folk would have us down as favourites if they were going by form alone. Yet, you know as well as I do that form means nothing in terms of cup football. We were fortunate to get through against both Alloa and Ross County so we’re taking nothing at all for granted ahead of tomorrow. That said, I do have faith in the boys to see this through, I think we’re in a good place and this is a test that I believe we can overcome.
LY: Aberdeen are without Mikey Devlin tomorrow which is a huge blow for the Dons. However, his absence is a massive boost for you ahead of the game, isn’t it?
Ah now, Leah, you’re trying to cause a little mischief here aren’t you?
I laugh and again the press-pack – including my ex-girlfriend - chuckle with me.
As it happens, I think losing a player of Mikey’s quality is a real shame. These occasions benefit when the best players are all available and able to take part. It’s a shame for Mikey, it’s a shame for Aberdeen and a shame for the match as a showpiece that he’s having to miss it with such a terrible injury.
Petar Genchev: Jones, we understand that Borna Barisic could well be available tomorrow having returned to training from injury. Is he likely to play?
We’ll have to wait and see, along with everyone else. I suspect tomorrow will be a little too early for him and that Friday’s visit of Hibs is probably a more realistic target.
With that Michael Dowie, the press officer, stepped in to call the conference to a halt, it had taken the better part of half-an-hour and I needed to get across to have a chat with the boys before I let them head off home. A quick dart upstairs to the canteen where they were all waiting, listening to one of Gary Mac’s anecdotes about winning the Division 1 title with Leeds way back in 1991/2, long before most of those in the room, myself included, were even so much as a twinkle in anyone’s eye and, of course, before the advent of football itself south of the border.
Waiting until he’d finished and noticing one or two injudicious rolling eyes amongst the boys I thanked him for the history lesson before taking the floor.
‘Everyone feeling fit?’ I asked.
‘Aye!’
‘Yes boss!’
And various other nods and murmurs of assent.
‘Good good. I won’t keep you more than a couple of minutes. Now then, we all know how important tomorrow is. It’s important for the club, it’s important for you as players and it’s hugely important for the fans. It’s not every day you get to play in a cup final and it’s not every day you get to play in a cup final at a ground as steeped in history as Hampden.’
I took a moment to scan the room, faces were fixed on me. That was good.
‘Recent form means sod all tomorrow, we know we’re better than them but that means sod all tomorrow as well unless from that very first whistle you show that desire, that intensity, that will to win that you showed this time last year against Celtic and that you’ve been showing all week. I believe in you, I believe you’re going to bring the cup back across the city once again. You should believe that too.’
‘Aye, the boss is right,’ Alan McGregor piped up from the back. ‘We know we can win tomorrow, we know we’re better than them. Let’s win the game and let’s enjoy ourselves at the same time.’
Once again, there were murmurs of agreement, nods and positive body language everywhere.
‘Cheers Al,’ I said. ‘Really pleased to see how positive you’re all looking. Go home, rest up tonight and 11am meet at Ibrox tomorrow morning for lunch and then onto the coach. Don’t be late!’
The players filed out, I stayed behind for a couple of hours but wanted to get back to Edinburgh early so I could have a quiet dinner, relax in front of a film and early night – just switch off entirely from what lay ahead the following day.
The plan was proceeding swimmingly, I’d made a sweet potato curry and treated myself to a couple of craft ales in front of Departures, a charming and amusing Japanese film when my phone vibrated at about 9:20. I left it, not wanting to get engaged in anything football related, then suddenly realised it could be from one of the boys with a problem ahead of the final. Perhaps they’d slipped in the shower or tripped over the dog. Maybe lost a toe in a lawn-mowing accident or been trapped by an angry bullock in a field with no means of escape. With a great deal of reluctance I turned the phone over and had a look. There was a brief sigh of relief when I didn’t see the name of any of the boys on my home-screen, but it was immediately replaced by a feeling of intrigue when I saw the message was from Leah. Curiosity got the better of me and I opened it.
“Strictly neutral, of course, but good luck tomorrow x”
Interesting. I was used to reading way too much into the tone of text messages, I was a sucker for it when I was at school but this definitely seemed to be a softening in tone towards me.
“Thank you – in the interests of maintaining neutrality, presume Derek received a similar message?”
“Haha, of course not. See you tomorrow x”
I hadn’t a clue what was going on, ever since we’d had that encounter in the lobby at Ibrox just before my interview for the top job, I’d received nothing but ice pointed in my direction. I never really understood why that was just as I couldn’t fathom the apparent recent thaw in relations.
I thanked her and put the phone down, opened a DIPA and settled back down to watch the rest of the film, my puzzlement slowly disappearing.
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Table as at Wednesday 2nd December 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
15
13
2
0
45
5
41
40
Glasgow Rangers
15
13
2
0
43
9
41
34
Heart of Midlothian
15
9
2
4
26
22
29
4
Motherwell
15
8
4
3
26
16
28
10
Kilmarnock
15
5
5
5
16
19
20
-3
Dundee United
15
3
8
4
15
22
17
-7
Livingston
15
3
6
6
15
23
15
-8
St Mirren
15
2
8
5
13
27
14
-14
Aberdeen
15
4
1
10
16
24
13
-8
Hibernian
15
2
5
8
14
27
11
-13
St Johnstone
15
2
3
10
9
25
9
-16
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
15
2
2
11
11
28
8
-17
Tuesday 1st December
Dundee Utd
0
0
St Mirren
Hibs
2
2
Motherwell
St Johnstone
2
3
Rangers
Wednesday 2nd December
Celtic
3
0
Inverness
Kilmarnock
1
2
Hearts
Livingston
3
2
Aberdeen
0 -
Tuesday 1st December 2020: St Johnstone v Glasgow Rangers (SPL)
Venue: McDiarmid Park
Att: 10,651
Managerial Record v St Johnstone: P 5 W 4 D 1 L 0 F 13 A 4
After sleeping on it I decided not to go in too hard on the boys, we were entering a really tough run of games and the best way to begin was probably not by bawling them out and putting extra pressure on them, they had plenty of that already from the supporters and media, but by supporting them and looking to focus heavily on the positives – which were that we had picked up a win and a clean sheet with ten men whilst not playing at all well – and working quietly on the less positive side of our performance at the weekend.
I realised quickly that I needed to turn a blind eye to whatever was happening for the time being at Celtic Park, focus purely on whatever we were doing – afterall, that’s the only thing within my control – and get behind the boys over the coming four weeks, to get rid of the frankly overwhelming expectations I had and try as much as possible to look forwards, not back.
For our Tuesday evening visit to Perth and with the League Cup Final lingering just over the horizon I decided to ring the changes and there were starts for Ross McCrorie, George Edmundson, Reza Durmisi, Greg Docherty, Nat Young-Coombes, Jordan Jones and Troy Parrott. If I could get away without using the likes of Scott Arfield, Connor Goldson, Alfie Morelos and Ryan Kent then that’s what I would do. I just wanted to come away from this one without any injuries.
St Johnstone were in a little bit of strife towards the bottom of the table and since our previous meeting just over four weeks previously in the last-four of the League Cup, they had failed to score and picked up just a solitary point. We were heavy odds-on favourites to take the points but as we’d seen the previous weekend, being favourites for a match didn’t equate to points on the board.
With so many changes, a gale force wind swirling around McDiarmid Park and fiercely persistent rain falling, perhaps it was no surprise that the opening half an hour was a bit of a disjointed scrappy mess. Neither side really threatened aside from the odd long-range effort and it wasn’t until Ross McCrorie’s near post cross was headed towards goal by Nat Young-Coombes and safely gathered by Zander Clark that either goalkeeper’s gloves were unduly muddied.
That provided some level of spark. Greg Docherty and Young-Coombes combined well in a tight space to find Troy Parrott in a yard of space just inside the D. Taking one touch to swivel, the young Irish striker then fired a terrific strike beyond the helpless dive of Clark and into the corner of the net to break the deadlock in emphatic style. In his 16th appearance of the season he’d managed to grab his second strike. And quite the zinger it was.
What the opening half an hour had lacked the next quarter of an hour more than made up for. We had found our range with our passing and a fine move ten minutes later saw Parrott double his personal tally and gave us a 2-goal cushion. It was one-touch stuff from the second Docherty had swept the ball left for Durmisi. He fizzed a low ball into the box which Brewster cleverly laid off for Parrott and first time he slid the ball just beyond Clark and into the same corner of the net that his first goal found.
I’d hoped at that point to reach the break with that two-goal cushion, however, with half-time on the horizon, we went to sleep defensively and a cross from Anthony Ralston caught George Edmundson and Ross McCrorie both ball-watching. In-between the two defenders popped up Matty Kennedy and he gleefully slid the ball home at the far post to reduce the arrears.
HALF TIME: St Johnstone 1-2 Glasgow Rangers
I bit my tongue at the break, tempting as it was to lay into the boys somewhat for switching off just before the whistle. But, remembering that for some of them it was a first start in a while and also that we were still ahead, I remained positive and upbeat. I wanted to get this game out of the way so that we could switch focus to the final against Aberdeen at the weekend, there was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that perhaps that was proving to be a little bit of a distraction to the boys, the opportunity to gain some silverware not far away.
So, supportive, promoting vigilance and ask the boys just to keep it going, find a third goal and just be switched on defensively.
Ten minutes after the restart Durmisi delivered a cross from the right-hand side that found Parrott at the far post rising higher than anyone else. Unfortunately, although he did rise highest, the ball rose even higher off his forehead and a ended up a good couple of feet too high as it sailed over the crossbar. Still, you could tell that the striker was now full of confidence and could sense his first ever career hat-trick at senior level was quite possibly there for the taking.
Lo-and-behold, it did arrive in the 63rd minute, spinning off his marker as Joe Aribo received the ball in midfield from Durmisi and as the ball came through from the ex-Charlton man, busting a gut to get onto it for it was marginally overhit, drawing Clark and confidently sliding the ball beyond him into the far bottom corner of the net. It capped a terrific personal performance and on that level, I was delighted for him. He’d worked so hard since arriving at the club but had found his chances probably more sporadic than he’d have liked. He’d not had a run of games and really been given the opportunity to get into a rhythm so to see him put in such a terrific showing was fantastic. It also gave me a real headache ahead of the weekend in terms of selection.
With ten minutes or so remaining, Rhian Brewster almost got himself in on the goalscoring action as he scampered onto a ball forward by Jordan Jones, this time Clark managed to make a fine block to maintain the scorline, a save that helped to set up a nervy finish.
Once again, a misjudgement by George Edmundson with 2 minutes remaining as Kennedy stepped beyond him saw the Englishman clip the Saints’ midfielder’s heel inside the penalty area and the referee was in no doubt as he pointed to the spot. Substitute Michael O’Halloran stepped up confidently and sent Rob McCrorie the wrong way to make it 3-2.
From the kick-off Jordan Jones went desperately close to settling our nerves as he was sent away by Brewster’s fine pass, he beat Clark comfortably enough but the ball went half a yard the wrong side of the far post and behind for a goal-kick.
For the final four or five minutes we found ourselves pinned back inside our own half and unable to get out as the Saints began something of a bombardment. Credit is due to Edmundson, who took a little heat for both of their goals, he stood up really well and whatever wasn’t overhit he attacked and headed clear whilst Helander dropped off a couple of yards to sweep if he needed to.
We survived and another valuable three points were secured to take us back above our cross-city rivals in the table once again – albeit for 24-hours as a minimum. I didn’t say much afterwards except for a quick well done, give them a day off and then from Thursday onwards it was tunnel vision for the League Cup Final.
FULL TIME: St Johnstone 2-3 Glasgow Rangers
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Table as at Sunday 29th November 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
14
12
2
0
42
5
38
37
Glasgow Rangers
14
12
2
0
40
7
38
33
Motherwell
14
8
3
3
24
14
27
10
Heart of Midlothian
14
8
2
4
24
21
26
3
Kilmarnock
14
5
5
4
15
17
20
-2
Dundee United
14
3
7
4
15
22
16
-7
Aberdeen
14
4
1
9
15
21
13
-6
St Mirren
14
2
7
5
13
27
13
-14
Livingston
14
2
6
6
12
22
12
-10
Hibernian
14
2
4
8
12
25
10
-13
St Johnstone
14
2
3
9
7
22
9
-15
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
14
2
2
10
11
25
8
-14
Friday 27th November 2020
Motherwell
0
0
Dundee Utd
Saturday 28th November 2020
Hearts
1
0
St Johnstone
Inverness
1
2
Hibs
Rangers
1
0
Livingston
St Mirren
1
1
Kilmarnock
Sunday 29th November 2020
Aberdeen
0
1
Celtic
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Saturday 28th November 2020: Glasgow Rangers v Livingston (SPL)
Venue: Ibrox Park
Att: 48,441
Managerial Record v Livingston: P 4 W 4 D 0 L 0 F 13 A 2
Sometimes you get the feeling that things aren’t quite right. You might get it when you arrive at a ground, you might get it during the warm-up or team-talk or you might get it once the game has kicked off. No matter when that feeling materialises, you hunker down, hope for the best and then put the whole episode to bed as soon as you possibly can and move on.
This afternoon, the beginning of an insane 31-day period in which we would be playing 9 times, was one such occasion. It was probably during the warm-up that I realised things weren’t right. Some of the boys looked tired, leggy, there wasn’t the usual bounce in their preparations and no matter how much Macca and Nino were barking at the lads, they couldn’t seem to shake the malaise.
I tried during the team-talk to get minds re-focused and alert yet in the opening 7 minutes, three sloppy pieces of defending had seen three defenders making poor decisions, conceding silly fouls and each picking up yellow cards. Teeth were gritted, hands plunged in pockets and I began to silently pray that we would come through this match without egg on our face.
Just after picking up his yellow card, James Tavernier got down the right flank and sent a decent ball in to the far post where it was met by the head of Ryan Kent. The winger, whose goal against Aberdeen had been his 10th goal of the season, got up well but couldn’t keep his effort down and it went a yard or so over the top, not testing Ross Stewart in the Livingston net.
The quality after that was woefully lacking from both sides and that probably suited the visitors whilst it was 0-0.
Seven minutes before the break Tavernier broke into the Livingston penalty area and as he got to the by-line found his ankle clipped by the challenge of Dolly Menga. The referee pointed to the spot and this time there could be no complaints. It was a bit of a stonewaller.
Shaking off his miss from his previous penalty kick, Tavernier took responsibility from Morelos, stepped up and although Stewart went the right way and although the shot wasn’t that near the bottom corner, it had enough about it to beat the goalkeeper and open the scoring in our favour, giving us a 1-0 lead.
A sigh of relief on the bench.
Not that the goal did anything to improve the quality of the spectacle. Some pinball inside the Livingston penalty area from a Durmisi corner kick saw three efforts well blocked – Goldson, Jack and Helander the men denied – and then we found ourselves short at the back as Khanya Leshabela found himself latching onto the long clearance forward, outpacing Tavernier and only being denied an equaliser by yet another Rob McCrorie smart save to keep our advantage intact.
HALF TIME: Glasgow Rangers 1-0 Livingston
‘Okay, we all know that first half was poor. We all know our whole mindset hasn’t been right today and yet we’re a goal ahead.’ I said at the break, more calmly than perhaps the boys were expecting. ‘So long as we don’t do anything stupid we’ll get today out of the way, rest up tomorrow and get ready for the month ahead.’
I asked Macca to go through a couple of tactical points and spent the remaining six or seven minutes going around the room to have a quick one-on-one chat with each of the boys, encouraging them rather than hammering them. With such a major run of games to come I wanted to get this one out of the way and into the history books without any collateral damage and move on to our midweek visit to St Johnstone.
Early on in the second half, less than two minutes after the restart, McCrorie made another smart save, this time from a low Robbie Crawford volley after a headed clearance from a corner had fallen nicely from the Livi midfielder on the edge of the box. McCrorie showed good awareness and hands to prevent the ball from slipping from his grasp.
Then, seconds later, Scott Arfield broke from deep and advanced 35-yards or so unchallenged before dragging his shot disappointingly wide of the target when he really ought to have either forced a save at the very least from Ross Stewart or squared the ball for the supporting Troy Parrott and Ryan Kent.
Things got decidedly tougher for us on 51 minutes when Steven Lawless got wrong side of Tavernier and the right-back decided that the best way to get back into position was to tug the Livi man back. It was such a cheap foul and even cheaper second yellow card so as to seem unreal. It was all-too real though and quite in keeping with the rest of our performance up until that point. I hoped the shake of my head and withering stare at him as he walked past me, head bowed, summed up my feelings on the matter. Reluctantly I hooked Troy Parrott and sent on Ross McCrorie to maintain our 4-man defence whilst leaving Alfie up front on his own with Ryan and Scott hopefully able to get forward in support of him.
Ricki Lamie went close with a header from a free-kick into the far post whilst we were still re-organising ourselves and briefly at sixes and sevens and managed to keep ourselves out of trouble whilst creating little at the other end. With five minutes to go a defensive Horlicks within the Livi back-four gave Morelos a gilt-edged chance to seal the points, the Colombian seizing on a poor backpass to find himself one-on-one, his finish lacked conviction though and Stewart was able to comfortably save.
We very nearly paid the price three minutes later. Jordan Jones was dispossessed cheaply and the ball was eventually worked out to the left flank where Menga found himself one-on-one with Ross McCrorie. The substitute stood up well initially and nicked the ball away but Menga recovered and sent a cross into the box off his weaker right foot. Kamara headed it clear and as the ball fell for Jon Guthrie, he played a lovely ball into the box first-time from about 35 yards out. Goldson at full stretch got it half-clear but only as far as Menga. As the ball dropped, he drilled it first time across the 6-yard box where, unmarked was Leshabela to turn the ball into the gaping net.
I couldn’t believe my eyes, yet, it was no more than we deserved for our slovenly approach to the game. Yet, as I turned back to the pitch having let out an anguished yell and aimed an air kick at the dugout wall, I saw the flag raised on the far side and the referee trotting over to consult the assistant. Replays showed that Leshabela was a good half-yard offside when Menga fired the ball across and the eagle-eyed linesman had spotted the incursion into no-man’s land.
Such a let-off, I blew a huge sigh of relief and sent a look of sympathy across the halfway line to where my opposite number was deep in animated conversation with the fourth official.
Boy had we got away with this one. A couple more hairy moments were just about survived before the final whistle went. I commiserated with Gordon, who had a face like thunder although 45-minutes later, when we sat down together for a drink, he was in much more of a philosophical frame of mind. I hadn’t said much to the players afterwards, they’d have a day off the next day and then a bit of a debrief and hopefully a reset on the Monday before our trip to Perth.
Back to the top of the table overnight before Celtic’s trip to Hibs on Sunday lunchtime, that was perhaps the one modicum of comfort from what had been a trying day.
FULL TIME: Glasgow Rangers 1-0 Livingston
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Durmisi, Jack, Kamara, Arfield, Kent (Jones), Morelos, Brewster (Ross.McCrorie)
0 -
Table as at Sunday 22nd November 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
13
11
2
0
41
5
35
36
Glasgow Rangers
13
11
2
0
39
7
35
32
Motherwell
13
8
2
3
24
14
26
10
Heart of Midlothian
13
7
2
4
23
21
23
2
Kilmarnock
13
5
4
4
14
16
19
-2
Dundee United
13
3
6
4
15
22
15
-7
Aberdeen
13
4
1
8
15
20
13
-5
Livingston
13
2
6
5
12
21
12
-9
St Mirren
13
2
6
5
12
26
12
-14
St Johnstone
13
2
3
8
7
21
9
-14
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
13
2
2
8
10
23
8
-13
Hibernian
13
1
4
8
10
24
7
-14
Friday 20th November
Rangers
2
1
Aberdeen
Saturday 21st November
Dundee Utd
1
1
Inverness
Kilmarnock
1
0
Motherwell
Livingston
1
1
Hearts
St Johnstone
0
0
St Mirren
Sunday 22nd November
Hibs
1
2
Celtic
0 -
Friday 20th November 2020: Glasgow Rangers v Aberdeen (SPL)
Venue: Ibrox Park
Att: 50,817
Managerial Record v Aberdeen: P 5 W 2 D 1 L 2 F 10 A 7
Another tedious international break came and went without incident. Well, almost. It transpired that Borna Barisic had picked up a nasty groin injury against Hearts and neglected to tell anyone. That was to keep him out of action for 4 weeks or so whilst Glen Kamara picked up a knock in Finland’s match against Turkey meaning that he would also miss out on the visit to Ibrox of Aberdeen. James Tavernier was ruled out through suspension meaning that I was forced to shuffle my pack.
Connor Goldson was at least back from his ban so he came back in for George Edmundson, who dropped to the bench, Jon Flanagan got the nod for the right-back berth – only his second start of the season – and Reza Durmisi came in at left back. Otherwise it was as you were.
I’ve mentioned the Dons’ poor run of form before, their penalty shoot-out win over Celtic whilst impressive was failing to paper over the cracks of their poor league campaign to date. Manager Derek McInnes was finding himself under ever increasing scrutiny with results not going his way and arrived at Ibrox, his old parade ground, looking like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The game was a sell-out, just shy of 51,000 in the ground and with the November air really beginning to nip away at fingertips, toes and noses it was time to bring out the big guns overcoat-wise. Out came the tan coloured fleece lined Motson-esq number for the first time. So did the royal blue scarf.
I had hoped that Aberdeen would be short of confidence and rather nervy so urged the boys to go at them from the off with keen appetite. I was right, they were nervy in possession, everything was done with a ‘safety first’ mindset but that meant that they were very compact and difficult to get in between. Understandably, McInnes had taken the Dons back to basics and was looking to make them hard to beat.
On 13 minutes we broke the deadlock with a goal that probably summed up the season of both sides so far. A corner was swung in by Durmisi and headed away by Scott McKenna. Rhian Brewster headed it back into the penalty area and found Filip Helander who fired a shot at goal. It hit Scott Cosgrove and rebounded for Goldson who larruped his own strike towards goal, that rebounded off Cosgrove again and as Mikkel Kirkesov looked to volley the ball clear he creamed it against the side of Alfie Morelos and could only watch on in horror as the ball bobbled goalwards, apologising on its way beyond the despairing dive of the wrong-footed Joe Lewis and into the back of the net.
Morelos, never one to stand on ceremony, peeled away in celebration as if he’d just beaten five men and stuck it into the top corner from 25-yards, those in red shirts could only look on in disbelief. Same with McInnes. I felt a bit for him in that moment.
Four minutes later we had the ball in the net again via rather more conventional means. Another dead-ball into the box from Durmisi caused chaos amongst the red-shirted visitors. Helander rose highest at the far post to head it back across goal and there was Ryan Kent to head into the vacant net. Celebrations were cut short though by the referee’s whistle and the upended flag of the official on the far side. Kent had strayed offside when the ball was headed back across by the Swede and the goal was chalked off.
That let-off seemed to provide the visitors with a touch more belief. Lewis Ferguson headed narrowly wide of the post from a very good free-kick delivery into the box by Alan Forrest from the right-hand side as the Dons threatened for the first time and a minute before the break found themselves back on terms. Some lovely build-up play from left to right saw Dean Campbell weight a lovely ball for Luca De La Torre to run onto. Although Durmisi got a foot to the initial effort, the ball broke kindly for the American and he swept the ball confidently past Rob McCrorie at the near post into the net to make it 1-1.
Just I was beginning to re-think my half-time words, the game changed again in an instant. It was exactly 37 seconds after the restart when Flanagan, who didn’t get forward like Tavernier did and thus stifled us a little as an attacking force, did brilliantly to step across and intercept a cross-field pass. Coming forward he played a simple pass left for Joe Aribo and this time he weighted the perfect ball into space behind the Aberdeen right-back for Ryan Kent to run into. Just inside the penalty area the winger took a touch and then with the angle seemingly running against him as the ball approached the 6-yard box, he fired a left-foot strike across Lewis and turned away in delight as the ball hit the netting just inside the far post to restore our advantage.
2-1, advantage Blues and another swift re-draft of my half-time soliloquy.
HALF TIME: Glasgow Rangers 2-1 Aberdeen
The boys were understandably still buzzing when they filed into the dressing room at the break and I waited a couple of minutes for them to settle down. ‘Hey, that’s good character that, getting the goal straight away. You’re ahead now and both of our goals have been a real kick in the balls for them. They’ll be hurting in there and wondering what they have to do to turn this around. Don’t give them an inch in the second half. Get into them whenever they have the ball, force errors. They don’t want it, they spent the first twenty-five minutes treating the damn thing like an unpinned grenade. Don’t stand off them, keep at it.’
I looked around the room. ‘If you beat them today you’ll have a psychological advantage in a couple of weeks when we meet them again at Hampden. Trust me, they don’t really want to be here now. They definitely won’t want to be on the bus to Hampden for that final knowing that we’ve beaten them twice already this season.’
I wanted to see us being professional and not doing anything silly, not giving them a way back into the game as we’d done at times in the past. We began the period by keeping the ball really well and winning it back quickly or forcing our visitors into a mistake when in possession. Six minutes in and a lovely move from front to back saw Aribo play in Morelos, his low drive produced a fine save from the alert Lewis at his near post to keep the scoreline differential at just the one.
Just past the hour mark and again Flanagan did well to step in and break up an Aberdeen attack. He knocked the ball inside for Arfield who showed his cutting edge with a lovely ball in behind for Brewster to run onto. The striker was probably odds-on to score but as he cut inside towards the centre of goal to get onto his right foot, again the big Aberdeen goalkeeper flung himself to his left to make a fine save. As it happened, the flag belatedly went up against Brewster and the goal wouldn’t have counted, but it was enough to show that we continued to carry a lively threat going forward.
We continued to control the game even though we weren’t creating much of note for the next dozen minutes or so. That was okay with me, even though I would have liked another goal to give us the cushion of a two-goal advantage. Goldson did go close with a towering header from a Durmisi corner kick in the 73rd minute, his downward header bouncing half a yard the wrong side of the upright, and then Morelos found Kent with a lovely ball leaving the winger through on goal, once again it was Lewis to the rescue with another fine save, using his ample frame to excellent effect to deny Kent a second goal of the evening.
From the corner, Morelos found himself able to outjump his marker at the far post and thunder a header towards goal only to see it repelled by a quite astounding reflex save from Lewis, pushing the ball over the top at full stretch and denying the Colombian a second, rather more conventional goal himself.
The second corner was delivered into the near post where it was won by the head of Ryan Kent, but his header looped safely over the top for a goal kick.
Five minutes from time Durmisi latched onto a neat ball from Aribo and selfishly went himself, finding the side netting at the near post when a cut-back across the six-yard box saw both Brewster and Morelos waiting for a tap-in and then any tiny hope Aberdeen did have of getting back into the match went up in smoke as Dean Campbell picked up a second yellow card for tripping Ross McCrorie on the right edge of the Aberdeen penalty area and found himself beating his team-mates into the showers by four or five minutes.
We saw out the final few minutes with comfort, stroking the ball around and when the referee blew for full-time, I could see that McInnes looked like that burden that he was carrying with him had gotten just that little bit heavier and tougher to bear. I did feel for him, his players had given them everything but when you’re lacking confidence, those fine margins always seem to go against you and in favour of your opposition. From our point of view, the three points saw us leapfrog Celtic for two nights at the very least, they were due to play Hibernian on the Sunday afternoon.
Not the most convincing of scorelines and we weren’t at our most fluent, but it was a job well done.
FULL TIME: Glasgow Rangers 2-1 Aberdeen
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Flanagan (Ross.McCrorie), Goldson, Helander, Durmisi, Jack, Aribo, Arfield (Jones), Kent, Morelos, Brewster
0 -
Table as at Sunday 8th November 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
12
10
2
0
39
4
32
35
Glasgow Rangers
12
10
2
0
37
6
32
31
Motherwell
12
8
2
2
24
13
26
11
Heart of Midlothian
12
7
1
4
22
20
22
2
Kilmarnock
12
4
4
4
13
16
16
-3
Dundee United
12
3
5
4
14
21
14
-7
Aberdeen
12
4
1
7
14
18
13
-4
Livingston
12
2
5
5
11
20
11
-9
St Mirren
12
2
5
5
12
26
11
-14
St Johnstone
12
2
2
8
7
21
8
-14
Hibernian
12
1
4
7
9
22
7
-13
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
12
2
1
8
9
22
7
-13
Friday 6th November
St Mirren
2
2
Livingston
Saturday 7th November
Aberdeen
0
0
Hibernian
Inverness
0
3
Kilmarnock
Motherwell
1
0
St Johnstone
Sunday 8th November
Hearts
1
2
Rangers
Celtic
4
0
Dundee Utd
0 -
Sunday 8th November 2020: Heart of Midlothian v Glasgow Rangers (SPL)
Venue: Tynecastle
Att: 20,099
Managerial Record v Hearts: P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 3 A 0
Not only was this a return to where it all started, it was this fixture that kicked off my league career with that humbling 3-0 defeat at Tynecastle more than 15 months previously. I’d learned a lot that day and I’d learned much more since. The hosts’ form had been patchy throughout the season, impressive results being followed up with defeats here and there – the 4-1 loss at Motherwell three weeks before was probably still chafing a little around the place. But since then they’d beaten St Mirren 3-1 and edged a thriller at Aberdeen 4-3 to fully cement themselves in the top 4 of the division. In spite of that ravishing at Fir Park, they remained only a single point behind Motherwell in the table.
I returned to something approaching my strongest side, albeit without Connor Goldson, who was missing through suspension for accumulated bookings. George Edmundson came into the side to partner Filip Helander for what was his first league start of the season. Ryan Jack was also missing through suspension so Glen Kamara continued alongside the returning Joe Aribo in the heart of the midfield. Elsewhere there were returns for James Tavernier, Borna Barisic, Scott Arfield, Ryan Kent and Rhian Brewster.
As it happened, when I appeared from the tunnel, the response from the home fans was pretty warm. There were some isolated boos and taunts of ‘Judas!’ – it’s strange how the negativity forces itself through the warmth, but I was able to shake it off quite easily and get quickly focused on the job in hand. Without exception, my welcome from everyone I’d known at the club over the previous 15 or 16 months had been absolutely spot on. There was a lot of warm handshakes, hugs, the expected little pieces of banter and it really had been lovely to see everyone again, albeit with a job to do on them.
I wasn’t expecting us to rip Hearts apart. If David Moyes’ sides could be relied upon to be one thing, they would be tough to break down. Well organised and set-up to make things as difficult as possible for us, particularly with a partisan home side behind them.
As it happened, within the first 43 seconds we very nearly went ahead in sensational style. James Tavernier spotted a gap after receiving the ball from Scott Arfield and so bolted into it like an excited pony. No-one came to engage him so from just inside the penalty area he unleashed a powerful strike that left Daniel in the home goal standing and, one would guess, enormously relieved to see the ball thunder down off the underside of the crossbar to land no more than a foot the right side of the goal-line from his point of view before spinning away and allowing the home side to launch a counter attack. Lamptey picked up the ball from Michael Smith’s clearance and a swift counter saw Jamie Walker play in Conor Washington down the side of Edmundson. The Northern Irish international’s effort flashed just the wrong side of the post and rippled the side netting.
A chance apiece and not yet a minute on the clock. One of the more breathless openings to a game that I’d witnessed.
I’d expected Hearts to largely cede ground, defend deep and soak up our pressure before striking on the counter. As it happened they were employing a high press early on and that very nearly forced a fatal error as pressure on Tavernier and Edmundson allowed neither man out and the ball was given away cheaply to Walker. He headed it on for Washington who found himself in behind. This time he did hit the target but found McCrorie had narrowed the angle well and able to make the save.
A few minutes later, Montolivo outmuscled and outbattled Arfield on the right-hand side, picked up possession and set off showing more mobility that he’d shown for me (I’d given him no licence to run with the ball to be fair!) he made 40 yards progress and after opening his body to try and curl the ball into the far corner of the net with his right foot was denied by another good stop from McCrorie.
At this point I was concerned. I was off my seat pacing the technical area like a caged tiger, ready to pounce upon any blue-shirted player that dared to come within hollering distance.
We simply weren’t able to get anything going, if we attacked then we came up against a superbly organised maroon wall and the moment we lost possession we couldn’t get the damn thing back again. Although it took 25 minutes for another decent chance to be fashioned at either end, when it came once again it was from the home side. Neat and patient build-up down the right saw Lamptey feign to whip a cross in and instead stroke it inside for Walker. The attacking midfielder cut inside onto his left foot and unleashed a powerful strike which beat McCrorie but glanced firmly off the face of the crossbar on its way over the top for a goal kick.
The interval really couldn’t come soon enough for us.
A couple of minutes later another break by the hosts saw Washington slip the ball into the box from the left for Walker to meet first time with a left-foot strike. Helander stood up well and allowed the ball to crash away off his shin to safety but even that block came with danger, the deflection could easily have gone anywhere.
The best chance of the lot fell once again to Walker 7 minutes before the break when he was found by a defence splitting pass from the boot of Montolivo. Finding himself in a chasm of space between our centre-halves, Walker steadied himself and looked to slide it beyond the advancing McCrorie. Credit to the goalkeeper, once again, as he got down brilliantly to push the ball around the post for a corner kick and allow us to remain on terms.
Finally, in the final couple of minutes before the break we managed to launch some sort of a response, albeit a fairly tepid one in comparison to what Hearts had created. A little bit of pinball in the penalty area saw a couple of efforts blocked from Brewster and Kent before Barisic had a snap-shot from 25-yards out that nearly caught Daniel out, the goalkeeper diving to his left to shovel the ball behind for a corner kick.
HALF TIME: Heart of Midlothian 0-0 Glasgow Rangers
The moment the referee put the whistle to his lips to blow for half-time I was already half a dozen paces inside the tunnel and making, with purpose, for the away dressing room. If the players were hoping for some degree of sanctuary they were to be sorely disappointed. I was absolutely furious.
‘That,’ I shouted, ‘that is not what Glasgow Rangers Football Club is about. That,’ I shouted again, ‘that was nothing short of shambolic. Embarrassing. You see him?’ I pointed at my goalkeeper sat slumped, looking at his feet, still with his gloves on. ‘He is the one reason we aren’t 3-0 down right now. He,’ I point to Rob again, ‘is the one person that has earned his wages in that first half. The rest of you have been downright embarrassing.’
‘They’re pressing us boss, we didn’t expect that.’ James Tavernier piped up. I stopped my pacing around abruptly to look at him, fixing him with my most withering stare.
‘They’re pressing you?!’ I spluttered.
‘Yeah. We were expecting them to be sat deep but every time we get the ball there’s two of them in our faces.’
‘Okay, you know what Tav, sure, I’ll put my hand up, that caught me off guard early on as well. But you know what? You’re big enough and ugly enough adapt. You’re not stupid, nor are you,’ I point at Joe Aribo, ‘or you’ I point at Scott Arfield. ‘You’re all experienced lads, you’ve played against sides that press you before. What do you do when you get pressed?’
Silence.
‘Come on, how do you counter a high press?’
Joe Aribo looked up. ‘Yes, Joe.’
‘One -touch and look in behind.’
‘Boom, five points Gryffindor.’ I said. ‘One-touch football and look to turn them. That doesn’t mean long ball football, it means laying the ball off and then spinning in behind your marker. We’ve done it dozens of times in training. I shouldn’t have to be busting my balls out there on the touchline trying to get you to adapt, I shouldn’t have to be waiting until now to be getting this sorted. You think of yourselves as leaders, you sort it out and then we have a very different conversation in here, none of this barking and wailing.’
I pause for a minute to take a cup of tea from the tray.
‘Right, boys.’ I state more calmly. ‘That 45 is history. Done. Let’s go again. It’s 0-0 so we make this a 45-minute game and show what we’re about. Okay?!’
‘Aye!’
‘Yes boss!’
The first quarter of an hour of the second period saw us at least proving much more competitive, our passing had more intent to it although was still missing the crispness and we were better defensively. That said, the first chance of the period did fall to the hosts when Washington headed Montolivo’s ball forward on for the run of the elusive Walker who scampered in between Barisic and Helander, got into the penalty area and was unfortunate to see McCrorie once again up to the task of keeping his effort out, this time the goalkeeper firmly pushing the ball over the top. The goalkeeper was once again called into action from the corner when the run of Sean Clare wasn’t tracked by Edmundson and McCrorie had to plunge to his left to hold onto the Hearts man’s header.
All of a sudden in the last twenty minutes we really came to life and began to force Hearts back. On 69 minutes Rhian Brewster picked up a pass from Borna Barisic just inside his own half, turned and went on a run down the left, cutting inside and then firing a viciously fizzing strike narrowly over the top.
That was the beginning of a spell of heavy pressure which, to be honest, the home side did extremely well to not only withstand, but to keep us from creating much of note. That all changed 12 minutes from time when Barisic got down the left and rather than crossing it, found Kent. The winger played the ball back into the left-back’s path inside the penalty area and as the Croatian had a moment to look up, he fired a left-footed shot that caught out Daniel and beat him at his near post, fairly riffing into the back of the net to break the deadlock and give us the lead.
Just over a minute later and a long clearance saw Troy Parrott find space and pounce in behind the Hearts back three. He couldn’t work himself a great angle for a shot but did get one away nonetheless, this time Daniel had sort of covered his near post and was able to kick the ball away from danger. Unconventional, but effective nonetheless.
Hearts were pouring forward now in pursuit of the equaliser they fully warranted. That suited us though since it opened up plenty of gaps on the break. And it was from one such break that Brewster brought the ball forward down the left with acres of space to run into with 10 minutes to go, and, full of confidence after his hat-trick against St Mirren, went himself and was denied by a good save from Daniel.
A minute later and as another Hearts attack floundered, Barisic this time brought the ball clear and fed it over halfway for Kamara. He spotted the run of substitute Jordan Jones and played him in. It looked as though the ball had run away from the winger at first but he gathered it into his stride superbly well with his first touch, used his second to get into the penalty area and with his third, fired low across Daniel into the far corner of the net. A real hammer blow for the home side, their fans stunned into silence and surely three points that only ten minutes or so before had seemed as far away as Mogadishu, must have been securely banked.
We saw the next fifteen minutes or so out with a great deal of professionalism as Hearts really began to bang on the door. Edmundson and Helander won pretty much everything that came into the box whilst Tavernier and Barisic, their attacking instincts temporarily curbed, dealt with most of the threat from wide areas meaning that the balls into the area had to come from deep. Much easier to deal with.
In the 6th and final minute of stoppage time, Alexandru Chipciu, a free transfer from Anderlecht who had come of the bench, latched onto a fine ball from Cochrane, held off the challenge of Barisic and neatly beat McCrorie with a well disguised finish. It was no more than a consolation and as the whistle went shortly after, Moyes came over to shake my hand and was very generous in his comments.
‘Well played, Jones. You showed my boys the value of being clinical and takin’ yer chances.’
‘On another day, David, you’d have been three up by half-time.’
‘Ah, I tell these lads they’ve gotta be more ruthless in front of goal. One day they’ll learn the lesson. Anyways, I have a decent bottle of claret if you wanna pop up after the press conferences?’
‘That’d be lovely, thanks.’
‘You know the way?’
I laughed. ‘I think I can just about remember it.’
Back in the dressing room I cut the boys a little bit of slack after their half-time shelling. ‘Eh, that was better boys. Not great, but you hung in there and then when they tired took advantage. Well done, that’ll prove to be a good three points come the end of the season.’
It had been a successful, if not altogether smooth sailing afternoon back at Tynecastle. I’d enjoyed the welcome that I’d received and after I’d had a glass of Moyes’ claret, took a couple of minutes to do the rounds and say goodbye to as many of the staff that had served me so well over the previous year. Outside the ground, one or two home fans were mingling with Gers fans and waiting for a selfie with me and an autograph, although it delayed the departure of the coach by five minutes I was only too happy to stop and oblige. The Jambo fans were magnanimous in defeat and the Gers fans effusive in their praise. It was a nice moment with which to end another long day.
FULL TIME: Heart of Midlothian 1-2 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier, Edmundson, Helander, Barisic, Kamara, Aribo, Arfield (Jones), Kent, Morelos (Parrott), Brewster
0 -
Lo and behold, Aberdeen belied their awful form to hold on beyond extra-time and beat Celtic on penalties to seal their place in the League Cup Final. I was partially amazed, partially delighted and partially slightly disappointed. The delight came from the fact that obviously, on paper, the fact that we’d be playing Aberdeen probably did increase our chances of being successful and coming away with silverware. The disappointment, and it was only minor, stemmed from the fact that the final wouldn’t be contested by the Old Firm with 40% of the crowd in Blue, 40% in Green and then 20% scoffing vol-au-vents for the opening quarter of an hour of each half. The atmosphere the season before had been something else, greater than even the Old Firm tie we’d had at Ibrox because it was equal numbers of Gers and Bhoys supporters.
We had 8 days to prepare for what was another special day ahead on a personal note as I took Rangers back to Tynecastle for the first time since I’d left the Edinburgh club at the end of the previous season. The vast majority of their squad were those that I had with me and David Moyes had been working well with them to keep them on the tail of Motherwell and looking to build a challenge for 3rd place once again. There were one or two new faces, largely borne of the fact that David liked to play with wing-backs and three centre-halves. One of their standout performers had been Tariq Lamptey, who I had done a deal for before leaving and who was impressing highly at right wing-back. Unfortunately, again on a personal level, Uche Ikpeazu, who had really blossomed under me was nowhere to be seen. He simply couldn’t get any game time. I think part of that was down to David’s preference to go with one out and out striker and part of it was down to Uche probably not being quite everyone’s cup of tea. It was a shame, I really liked Uche, he’d been outstanding for me.
All of the other big hitters were still there and part of things. Conor Washington was amongst the goals once again whilst John Souttar was still awaiting his big move, marshalling the back-three and, if anything, even better on the ball than he’d been under me. Jamie Walker and Sean Clare, Peter Haring and Ricci Montolivo as well as the other old timers Glenn Whelan and Christophe Berra. It would be really good to see a lot of familiar old faces on the pitch as well as loads of those off the pitch too. Paul Gallacher, JD and Foxy had been kept on as part of Moyes’ backroom staff whilst Karen Gibson and Craig Maitland were still doing the day to day physio work on the squad. And, of course, Pat Nevin, the Director of Football and part-time mentor and counsellor during my fledgling season in the dugout. I was also delighted to see that Stevie Naismith had been brought on-board as part of the coaching staff and was now managing their Under-18s. He had plenty to offer as a coach or manager, that was a great appointment.
What I didn’t really have a handle on was how the Jambos supporters were going to react to my return. I had an inkling from questions I’d received through the press that they were a bit split on how I’d handled my departure with a section blaming the board for not offering me a new contract earlier and another section seeing me as being a Billy Big Balls and somehow bigger than Heart of Midlothian Football Club.
Had I been offered a contract extension sometime around February or March time I would probably have taken it. I certainly didn’t have any designs on taking the Rangers job at that point – I didn’t know it was going to be available for a start. I was enjoying life in Edinburgh, I was enjoying the club and wasn’t in any hurry to leave. Waiting until so late to be offered a new deal felt like a notional tick boxing exercise by Ann Budge and the hierarchy, as something to be done to show supporters that at least they’d tried to keep me. By then my mind had been set on departure at the end of the season.
With the benefit of hindsight, clearly leaving the club has been a good move so far on a professional level. The Rangers job was a step up, although less than a third of a way through the season it looked as though we were setting ourselves up to really challenge Celtic’s league title crown. I was working with better players and although the pressure was infinitely greater – I was expected to win every game – that was a pressure I enjoyed and felt I was beginning to thrive under.
If I am brutally honest, it was really difficult to see how I could have taken Hearts much further. There were one or two interesting prospects that I would have liked to have blooded from the younger age group teams. Midfielder Harry Cochrane, for example, and Jay Charleston-King who made an impression late on for me. But without significant investment and without us knowing that somewhere down the line we’d have to be selling key figures like John Souttar, rather than building the side around them to try and seriously challenge the Old Firm, there was a glass ceiling of 3rd place that we wouldn’t have been able to break in the foreseeable future.
Since leaving Tynecastle and getting the job at Ibrox I’d been asked a few times whether, if I’d signed a new deal at Hearts and the Rangers job had come up, I’d have applied for it. My answer to that was simple. No, I wouldn’t have done. I’ve only ever broken a contract once for reasons that, I felt, were fully understandable. However, I always added the caveat that if Rangers had approached Hearts and I’d been given permission to speak to them then I would have been foolish not to have had that conversation, listened to what they said and gone from there. Of course, that was all if, buts and maybes. I had left Hearts, rightly or wrongly, and I had taken the Rangers job. Those were the facts and I would have to take whatever reception I was granted on the chin.
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Saturday 31st October 2020: Glasgow Rangers v St Johnstone (League Cup Semi-Final)
Venue: Hampden Park
Att: 30,082
Managerial Record v St Johnstone: P 4 W 3 D 1 L 0 F 11 A 4
This was my first taste of managerial life at a neutral venue, my first taste of managerial life at Hampden Park. Of course, I’d been here the season before in a media capacity as part of the studio set-up for the Old Firm derby in the League Cup Final but this was my first taste of being down on the famous hallowed turf where legends of Scottish Football had created so much history in the past. Not to mention a couple of thrilling European Cup Finals as well and that volley from Zidane in 2001 against Leverkusen. Whilst the boys were having a look at the pitch after we’d arrived I took ten minutes to wander around the great arena and get a bit of a feel for it. It was no bigger than Ibrox and smaller than Parkhead, but places like this have an aura of their own.
I’d not slept so well the night before as I mulled over my team for the match-up with St Johnstone. As I’ve already mentioned, they were in rather better shape than when we beat them 3-0 in the league back in August so I certainly wasn’t taking them likely. That said though, I wanted to give some minutes to some other lads, as I had done throughout the competition so far. Joe Aribo was missing after tweaking a calf in training, so I kept him out as a precaution and paired Ryan Jack with Glen Kamara. I decided to leave out both first choice full-backs and give some minutes to Ross McCrorie and Reza Durmisi.
Nat Young-Coombes continued in the attacking midfield role whilst Jordan Jones came in for his third start of the season down the left, Ryan Kent dropping to the bench to have a well-earned break. Up front Alfie Morelos returned alongside Troy Parrott with Rhian Brewster, fresh from his hat-trick in midweek stepping down. I won’t lie, that decision took some explaining to the Liverpool man who was devastated to be missing out. I tried to explain the bigger picture to him – the need to get minutes into other players and keep those that had been playing so much in recent weeks as fit and fresh as possible for upcoming challenges, I’m not sure he was quite able to see things my way.
The message to the boys before the game was very simply. ‘I don’t want this to be my final visit to Hampden this season. I want to be here in a few weeks in the final in front of a full-house, not when it’s a third empty like it is today. We know all about the Saints, there won’t be any surprises from them. Be professional, work hard and let’s get the job done.’
That was the one disappointment of the day, the fact that there was only 30,000 or so in the ground rather than the 50,000 it could hold at capacity. Those that were in the crowd though did their level best to create an atmosphere and we swiftly hit our stride. Less than 5 minutes were on the clock when Morelos should have hit the target from inside the penalty area when a ball bounced off a St Johnstone body from Young-Coombes’ cross and although he was stretching a little as he fired over the top, it was a good early chance wasted.
Then, with a dozen minutes on the clock, Ross McCrorie made excellent progress down the right flank before cutting the ball back in-field for Glen Kamara. The Finnish midfielder laid it across the face of the penalty area for Ryan Jack, who was in plenty of space, and the former Aberdeen man took a touch before firing a low shot at goal. It had plenty of power and it was that which probably did for Zander Clark, the Saints’ goalkeeper. He’d gotten down well but was only able to get a hand to the strike, helping it into the bottom corner of the net rather than being able to keep it out.
An early goal was just what the doctor ordered and settled any nerves we might have been feeling.
Five minutes later clever play from Parrott saw him shift the ball left for Jordan Jones who took the ball into the penalty area. With the angle a little tighter than perhaps he’d have liked, the winger could only drive his effort into the side-netting at the near post rather than finding the angled drive he was looking for.
Then, just before the half-hour mark, Reza Durmisi cut inside off the right flank onto his left foot after a free-kick routine had initially broken down and the ball switched back right by Young-Coombes. A one-two with Helander saw the Dane work the angle for the strike but Conor Shaughnessy covered brilliantly and blocked the strike at source. Seconds later after building a new attack, Kamara swung the ball left for Jones who cut back onto his right foot, delivered a peach of a cross into the near post where it was met by the head of Morelos who once again was unable to find the target, this time with his header.
The game then settled into a nervy edgy affair in which we were in full control but unable to break down a dogged Saints side who had decided to sit in and ensure they got to half-time no worse off than being a single goal down. It worked, they threatened very little aside from a couple of half chances that either dribbled wide or were easy fodder for Rob McCrorie.
HALF TIME: Glasgow Rangers 1-0 St Johnstone
At the break I implored the boys to remain patient. ‘At some point they’re going to have to come out and try and get themselves back into the game,’ I said. ‘It may be straight after the break, although I doubt it, it might be after an hour or more likely, I suspect, in the final 15-20 minutes of the game. That might be when the chances come again. Stay patient, keep working the ball. They’re well organised, they’ve done their homework but we have the quality to beat them. You have to keep believing though.’
I was right, the first 25-minutes of the second period was no better than the final quarter of an hour of the first. It was staid, turgid stuff and we lacked with wit or guile to open them up. I did consider making a change but whilst the Saints looked no more likely to score than we did and with a goal advantage I thought this would be a worthy test for the boys, see if they would be able to overcome it or not.
They were, with a little help from the opposition’s defence, with 18 minutes remaining. Durmisi got himself forward down the left flank and sent a low cross into the box. It was cleared comfortably by the Saints back four but in amongst all of that, Troy Parrott had gone down under a challenge from Ali McCann and the referee had seen enough to award us a spot kick.
With Borna Barisic and James Tavernier on the bench, Alfie Morelos showed character to take responsibility. He placed the ball on the spot, took a deep breath to set himself, stepped up and as Clark dived to his left, simply placed the ball where he’d originally been standing to double our lead.
The Saints did show a little more adventure after that but failed to create anything of note. Our back four were excellent and never stretched. Indeed, the closest either side came to scoring in the final 20 minutes or so was when we countered with purpose and Durmisi sent Parrott scampering clear. The striker did everything right but was denied by a brilliant block from Clark, parrying the powerful effort firmly away from danger to prevent the Spurs man from adding to his midweek strike.
The final whistle brought a poor match to a conclusion, I shook hands with Tommy Wright wished him well for the next month or so before we would lock horns again and went out to acknowledge the acclaim of our supporters who thanks to a journeyman performance, could very much look forward to another visit five weeks later.
Who our opponents would be we had to wait and see. Aberdeen, who were in the midst of a wretched run of had seen them lose four of their last 5 Premiership matches, were taking on Celtic at Hampden the following day. Our cross-city rivals were hot favourites to make it an Old Firm final for the second season in a row. We’d take on either side, I didn’t mind. I was just very pleased, in spite of the slightly meandering performance, to have a first ever final appearance to look forward to.
After congratulating the boys in the dressing room after the game I made myself a note on my phone for Monday morning.
Get measured for cup final suit.
FULL TIME: Glasgow Rangers 2-0 St Johnstone
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Ross.McCrorie, Goldson, Helander, Durmisi, Kamara, Jack, Young-Coombes, Jones, Morelos, Parrott
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Table as at Wednesday 28th October 2020:
P
W
D
L
F
A
Pts
GD
Glasgow Celtic
11
9
2
0
35
4
29
31
Glasgow Rangers
11
9
2
0
35
5
29
30
Motherwell
11
7
2
2
23
13
23
10
Heart of Midlothian
11
7
1
3
21
18
22
3
Dundee United
11
3
5
3
14
17
14
-3
Kilmarnock
11
3
4
4
10
16
13
-6
Aberdeen
11
4
0
7
14
18
12
-4
Livingston
11
2
4
5
9
18
10
-9
St Mirren
11
2
4
5
10
24
10
-14
St Johnstone
11
2
2
7
7
20
8
-13
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
11
2
1
7
9
19
7
-10
Hibernian
11
1
3
7
9
22
6
-13
Tuesday 27th October 2020
Aberdeen
3
4
Hearts
Hibs
1
1
Dundee Utd
Wednesday 28th October 2020
Celtic
3
0
Kilmarnock
Inverness
1
2
St Johnstone
Motherwell
1
1
Livingston
St Mirren
0
5
Rangers
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Wednesday 28th October 2020: St Mirren v Glasgow Rangers (SPL)
Venue: The Simple Digital Arena
Att: 8,023
Managerial Record v St Mirren: P 3 W 2 D 1 L 0 F 5 A 1
True to my word I made three changes to the side for our visit to Paisley to take on St Mirren. Each one was designed with two things in mind. Firstly, to freshen things up a little after keeping the same side for four matches on the spin and secondly to try and give us a little more in the final third. It’d be wrong to say that we were looking stale, but I felt we were missing a little something in the final third and that shaking things up a little, giving a couple of players a rest and bringing in some fresh, enthusiastic legs to try and reinvigorate our approach.
I brought in Troy Parrott for Alfie Morelos up front, he’d bided his time well and had earned another chance to start whilst I wanted to give Alfie a rest, he had seemed jaded over the past couple of matches and I felt would benefit from a break, particularly ahead of the weekend League Cup semi-final.
In addition, young Nat Young-Coombes made his first career start in place of Scott Arfield who was still feeling the after-effects of the knock he picked up against Motherwell. Nat, who had joined the club in 2018 after leaving Chelsea brought with him an excellent first touch, plenty of pace from just behind the front two and a certain unpredictability and rawness. His role was slightly different as well to that played by Arfield, who was very much a get the ball and play it type of playmaker in that I felt Nat could provide us with a little more directness.
Finally, in the heart of midfield alongside Joe Aribo I brought in Glen Kamara for Ryan Jack. Whilst Jacko was probably a little way of full-fitness, Glen had been champing at the bit to get some game time. Technically, he was probably the best player at the club, his first touch was like molten Galaxy chocolate whilst although primarily a deep-ish lying midfielder, we were working to try and develop him into more of a threat in the opposition penalty area by arriving late and trying to get on the end of things.
I’d made it clear that I wanted a lot more, particularly in terms of our finishing, than what I’d seen in the two previous matches and for the boys to show me that they were serious contenders in the title race and not mere pretenders. ‘We got away with Saturday because Celtic couldn’t beat St Johnstone but people are already beginning to question our bottle. Now, I’m up for the fight show me you lot are as well!’
Our start was much better and with more intensity than the previous couple of matches had. In the 3rd minute Young-Coombes displayed that directness and pace to attack the Saints’ penalty area only to find his progress stopped by a fine challenge by Coll Donaldson which, if he’d got wrong, would certainly have seen a penalty and potentially a very early red card.
The ball was swiftly recycled and worked out wide for Tavernier whose cross was begging to be put in the net – Rhian Brewster very nearly obliged running in to thunder a header against the crossbar that left it rattling for a good period of time after it had been struck.
On 10 minutes, Troy Parrott found himself played in behind the Saints’ back four. His first touch was pure elegance and as he made his way into the penalty area he was unfortunate to be denied by a magnificent low save by Dean Lyness.
The respite for the home side lasted only a few minutes. Helander headed a lofted ball clear and found Ryan Kent who had come in off the left flank. He drifted forward and found Young-Coombes, his ball left found Brewster who nodded it back to Barisic. The Croatian full-back drifted past Kyle McAllister and found half a yard in which to get the ball across. Meeting the ball near the penalty spot was none other than Glen Kamara who rose unchallenged and glanced a lovely header into the far corner of the net to break the deadlock.
Three minutes later another Barisic cross created our second goal, this one was met at the far post by Troy Parrott. The teenager rose well, unmarked it has to be said, and planted his header across goal, across Lyness and into the back of the net for his first ever senior goal. You could tell how much it meant to the lad as he sprinted off like a dervish in celebration, meanwhile I was able to sit and savour an early 2-goal advantage and a performance that so far had been right on the money.
Before the half had reached its midway point, in the words of the Spice Girls, almost, two became three. An unbelievable ball in behind from deep swung in early by Tavernier saw Brewster run in behind and as it dropped, unleash a thunderous half-volley from about 8-yards out that left Lyness utterly helpless to make it 3-0.
Three minutes after that another Barisic delivery, this time from a free-kick deep on the right was swung into the box and again, it was a black-shirt (non-fascist) that met the ball full-blooded on their forehead. It was Filip Helander who outjumped his marker but was unable under pressure to quite direct his header on target.
We were in full control of the contest, although understandably the intensity did drop slightly as the half went on. Five minutes before the break Troy Parrott once again showed a superb first touch to bring the ball down out of the sky and into his stride to get into the penalty area. With the confidence of a goal behind him he got his shot away early this time but was denied by a very fine stop from Lyness diving to his right to push the ball away.
HALF TIME: St Mirren 0-3 Glasgow Rangers
There was little to say at the break except to implore the boys not to let up and keep it going throughout the second half. I wanted a much stronger second half than we’d seen against Motherwell and Caley Thistle, something that was made abundantly clear.
After Jonathan Obika saw an early shot well blocked by Goldson in the opening couple of minutes of the second period, we swiftly found ourselves back on the front foot. A Barisic free-kick from the right-hand side into the far post was met by a combination of Goldson’s head and Parrott’s shoulder, with the ball ending up drifting wide of the post before on the hour mark I decided to change by full-backs. Both had been excellent and deserved a rest, so on came Ryan Jack for Tavernier at right-back whilst Borna was replaced by Reza Durmisi at left-back.
The changes did nothing to stifle our attacking threat and a couple of minutes after the introduction a sweeping move from front to back and left to right saw Nat Young-Coombes pick up a cross-field pass from Ryan Kent and lay it forward into the path of Brewster. The striker, 35-yards from goal had plenty to do, but do it he did as he turned, broke into a sprint and from around 22-yards unleashed a magnificent low strike across Lyness and into the bottom corner of the net to make it 4-0. A superb team goal finished in wonderful individual style.
Kent was the third and final man to be rested, being withdrawn in favour of Jordan Jones and within a couple of minutes of his own introduction the substitute had gone desperately close to a goal that would have been reminiscent of George Weah’s solo goal for AC Milan against Verona or Saeed Al-Owairan’s for Saudi Arabia against Belgium in the 1994 World Cup. Picking the ball up on the edge of his own penalty area after Helander had headed clear a corner kick he then ran the entire length of the field, outpacing everyone in a white shirt yet, unfortunately, when he found himself clear on Lyness, the goalkeeper made a superb save to his left to push the ball away for a corner and deny the young winger the goal of a lifetime.
From the corner Brewster headed wide across goal at the far post, denying himself a hat-trick and a couple of minutes later, at the midway point of the second period, Young-Coombes dragged his shot wide when he found some space just inside the Saints’ penalty area.
Brewster wasn’t to be denied for long. Latching onto a pass from Goldson, the striker showed excellent control to take the ball down and then outpaced his marker before impudently rounding Lyness and tucking the ball into an empty net. It completed a first career hat-trick for the promising young striker and took him up to 13 goals for the season, nine of which had come in his last 8 matches.
This had been an emphatic performance and I really didn’t mind the foot coming off the pedal for the last 20 minutes or so. Instead we kept the ball nicely, probed and created one or two minor chances but concentrated on conserving energy with the semi-final just a few days away. Ilkay Durmus went close to a consolation for the hosts with five minutes remaining but was denied by a very good save from the alert McCrorie – once again showing his levels of focus and concentration having been barely called upon before then – before the referee brought proceedings to a close.
Although I was delighted with the manner of the win, I did feel a little for my opposite number Jim Goodwin who, on his way down the tunnel was subjected to some pretty vile comments from his own fan. After conceding 5 at home to Motherwell at the beginning of the month and 5 again here, any credit from his time as a popular centre-half over six years a decade or so before at Love Street was swiftly running out. It’s never nice seeing a counterpart having to put up with that kind of thing but to Jim’s credit, he fronted up after the game and produced a witheringly honest appraisal of his side’s performance.
The boys had earned themselves a day off after that performance after which we had a day to prep for the League Cup Semi-Final at Hampden against a St. Johnstone side that had followed up their highly impressive point against Celtic with three at Inverness to drag themselves off the bottom of the table. Although clearly heavy favourites this would not be a walkover. Once again, I had to make sure the boys’ minds were right.
FULL TIME: St Mirren 0-5 Glasgow Rangers
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Tavernier (Jack), Goldson, Helander, Barisic (Durmisi), Kamara, Aribo, Young-Coombes, Kent (Jones), Brewster, Parrott
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Baby, You're a Lost Cause (Jones Patterson, Part 2)
in FM Stories
Posted
Tuesday 22nd December 2020: Glasgow Rangers v Inverness Caledonian Thistle (SPL)
Venue: Ibrox
Att: 48,723
Managerial Record v Inverness Caledonian Thistle: P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 2 A 0
Three days before Christmas and still nearly 50,000 supporters found the time, the effort and the money to come our and watch the side as we took on Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the Highland side boosted by an excellent 2-0 win over Hearts at the weekend which moved them off the foot of the table and back within touching distance of guaranteed safety. The gap between them and Livingston in 7th was down to a much more bridgeable 5 points rather than the infinitely more daunting 8 points that it had been before the weekend.
I chose to make some changes, rest some weary legs and give a chance to others. Dropping out were the suspended James Tavernier, Borna Barisic, Joe Aribo, Scott Arfield and Rhian Brewster. Replacing them were Ross McCrorie at right-back, Reza Durmisi, Glen Kamara, Nat Young-Coombes and Troy Parrott respectively. I’d had a long chat with Tav after his dismissal – his second of the season – at training and told him that he really needed to tidy that side of his game up. If he couldn’t keep himself on the pitch then he was naff all use to me. I was prepared to draw a line under this red card with the usual fine under the club’s disciplinary code that he’d signed up to, but a repeat performance would see his future and place in the side under jeopardy.
To be fair to him he accepted the challenge understanding that he was a senior member of the side and should be setting a better example. He’d miss three games and if someone impressed majorly in his absence then he’d have enough of a battle getting back into the side.
The opening 20 minutes of the game were fairly turgid. We were controlling the game in terms of possession, the visitors understandably choosing to sit back and look to break when given the chance. Whilst we passed the ball crisply enough there wasn’t enough intensity about our play and we looked no better than mediocre. At that point we really should have taken the league.
A Mark Ridgers clearance only found Young-Coombes who controlled the ball nicely and then burst towards the penalty area, the defence appearing to part like the red sea in front of Moses. Ridgers redeemed himself with a smart stop but the ball find kindly for Troy Parrott with the goal gaping. Somehow, and I have no idea how, left footed the Irishman found the side netting rather than rather larger part of the onion bag that had its arms open in welcome waiting for the ball.
I’m not sure anyone in the ground could believe their eyes at the miss.
To Parrott’s credit, he got his head down and went in search of the next opportunity which fell to him five minutes later after Kent’s pass found him inside the penalty area. Taking a couple of touches to work himself an angle, this finish was rather better as he did at least find the target, unfortunately Ridgers made a very fine stop turning the powerful strike over the crossbar. From the corner delivered by Durmisi Ryan Jack made tracks and got on the end of the ball at the far post but couldn’t keep his header down.
HALF TIME: Glasgow Rangers 0-0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
That was as good as it got in the first period. The visitors were delighted to go in goal-less at the break having had little of the ball and even less in the way of efforts in goal.
‘I know it’s been a tough few weeks,’ I said once the boys had sat down and collected their refreshments, ‘but that was soporific stuff. I know it’s Christmas in a few days and we all went to be merry and bright but we’ve got work to do today, lads. The passing is fine, but there’s f- all cutting edge out there. I tell you what, they’re living the dream in there. Coming to Ibrox, goal-less at the break and for most of that first half they’ve just had to sit in because we’re just playing in front of them. Once, just once we’ve looked dangerous and that’s when Nat drove at them. Should have scored, didn’t, okay, so we make the next one happen. Except we haven’t.’
‘More, I need a lot more boys. Because I tell you something, if I don’t get it, if you don’t give those supporters out there who have jacked off mulled wine and carols around the tree this evening something to cheer then mark my words, not only will you be in on Christmas Eve, you’ll be in on Christmas Day as well. Now, take the next 7 minutes or so to get your heads switched on properly and get the game won.’
Again, I used that time to have a quiet word with two or three of the boys, trying to encourage them and look at a couple of things on the screen that we should be looking to do to manoeuvre them out of position and create chances.
Four minutes after the break Filip Helander met a Durmisi free-kick at the far post and planted his header thudding into the midriff of Ridgers when anything a couple of feet either side of the goalkeeper would have opened the scoring.
Within a minute Ryan Kent popped up on the right flank and powered towards the by-line, just inside the penalty area. As he cut back onto his left foot his ankle was taken from underneath him by Charlie Trafford. The whistle went, the arm went out and the penalty was awarded. Alfie Morelos stepped up casually, Ridgers went the right way and the spot kick was far too close to him, diving to his left he made a good stop to push the ball behind for a corner.
That was too much for me to bear, the Colombian striker was instantly removed from the action before the corner kick could be taken and replaced by Rhian Brewster.
The move paid instant dividends, even though Brewster wasn’t directly involved. The original corner kick was headed clear but recovered by Goldson who returned the ball to Durmisi. The left-back had acres of space to measure his cross and found Ryan Kent’s head, 10 yards out and he planted it powerfully beyond Ridgers into the back of the net for his 14th goal of the campaign.
That brought such a sigh of relief throughout the place and the mufflers that had been placed over us in the first 50 minutes suddenly disappeared. There was an extra spring in our step, an extra yard of pace, the passing a shade crisper and more precise. The tempo had increased and you got the impression that the boys could sense blood.
Three minutes later another Durmisi corner kick saw Troy Parrott drift in off from beyond the far post, meet the ball on the 6-yard line, fairly central, and plant a superb glancing header beyond Ridgers inside the far corner of the net. The game had turned firmly in our favour inside that three-minute spell and now if was a case of ‘how many’ we might get.
Durmisi, enjoying himself now, sent a 30-yard free kick a shade wide of Ridgers’ right-hand post before the goalkeeper made a fine save to his right after Young-Coombes had made done will to get into the penalty area, find space for a shoot at goal and drive it low towards the far corner.
That we had to wait until the 66th minute to claim our third goal of the evening felt like a long time given our complete and total dominance of the match at that stage. Predictably it was another Durmisi dead-ball that caused the confusion, Helander rose highest to head against the upright and as the ball rebounded back into the heart of the 6-yard box Glen Kamara reacted quickest to nod the ball home from a couple of yards for his 3rd goal of the season.
Three minutes after falling behind to what felt like an unassailable deficit, James Vincent woke us up with a free-kick that rippled the side netting on its way a foot or so the wrong side of the post. That’s all we needed to go and put the seal on the second half performance. Kamara poked the ball into the penalty area where Brewster was unable to work himself space for a shot. Instead he adroitly laid the ball off the substitute Jordan Jones, who had come in off the left flank, and he calmly stroked the ball right-footed into the far bottom corner of the net for his 4th goal of the season and our 4th of the evening.
From where we’d been at the break, I hadn’t imagined that 25-minutes later we’d find ourselves 4-0 up, but that was a testament to the quality I had at my disposal and their ability to find a couple of new gears when they were required to break down a decent side.
With 9 minutes remaining a free-kick from Brewster dropped in behind the Caley back-four for Young-Coombes, Ridgers did well to deny the youngster his first ever league goal with a smart block down by his near post. I was more than happy as the boys saw the final ten minutes out, taking their foot of the pedal and conserving themselves for the tricky looking visit to Motherwell on Boxing Day.
‘Much much better, boys,’ I said to them after the game. ‘Outstanding second half, exactly what I was looking for. Well done. In tomorrow for a little training session and then have a couple of days with your families.’ Nothing more to say, they’d earned a couple of days break.
FULL TIME: Glasgow Rangers 4-0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Team: Rob.McCrorie, Ross.McCrorie, Goldson (Edmundson), Helander, Durmisi, Jack, Kamara, Young-Coombes, Kent (Jones), Morelos (Parrott), Brewster