Rangers put in a lot of effort, but against Spartak Moscow on Thursday evening, it just wasn’t to be. It was a huge game for the club, but they fell short after one of the most exciting European ties in recent memory.
Since the game, the finger has been pointed at any number of players, and given that they’re the ones on the field, that’s only natural.
Writing in his post-match report, he said: “Gerrard again tinkered with his central defence for this match – replacing Joe Worrall with Nikola Katic…he and Goldson looked vulnerable all evening”.
He continued: “Few successful sides are built upon a rotation policy in such an important area of the field. This was one that got away for Rangers and it is a harsh lesson that must be learned quickly”.
It’s fair to say that it was in the defence that Rangers fell apart somewhat. Of course, conceding four goals on any day is disappointing, but in particular it was the manner of the goals that was frustrating.
That said, it is somewhat baffling that Gerrard decided to rotate on a night like that. It was a huge game for us, and a win could have had a huge impact on not only our progression hopes, but also our confidence.
Instead, we’ve been forced back to square one with another loss, and now we’ve got to try and claw ourselves back up at the weekend.
Still, we’re still able to progress in Europe, and we’ve proven that we can come back from a big loss already this season. Gerrard, though, needs to take this lesson on the chin and move forward.
Thoughts?