In what has been one of the most hectic fixture lists since 2007/08, that Rangers have managed to negotiate it relatively intact – league cup exit aside – is testament to Steven Gerrard’s ability to rotate his squad.
He will now relish the extra time with his team on the training pitch with a week between each of the next few fixtures and a trip to Aberdeen next on the cards, don’t laugh but, despite an aggregate scoreline of 5-0 over the first two meetings, Ash Taylor, one of Derek McInnes‘s centre-halves, believes that we were “lucky” and that they will present more of a “challenge” this time around, as reported by Glasgow Live:
“At Ibrox, we had players missing and some of the goals were deflections.
“It was a difficult one to take. We will look to put in a solid performance.
“They are flying this season and doing really well.
“They are well drilled so it will be a tough ask but we have the players in the squad who are capable of doing it.
“If we keep putting the right type of balls in the box we know the goals will come.”
So, Aberdeen’s game plan will be to fire balls into the box, cheers Ash for the heads up. Hoping that by putting balls into the danger area against a team that has conceded five league goals in 22 games will reap dividends is wishful thinking at best but it is an insight into what we can expect – high balls, direct and physical.
Have Rangers been lucky against Aberdeen?
Yes
No
Gerrard always goes on about “earning the right to play” and this weekend will be no different, first we have to match them in the battle before we can impart our game plan on them, we managed it in the previous encounters not that Taylor seems willing to accept it.