Danny Rohl’s strategy during Sunday’s Old Firm encounter has been criticised by Motherwell midfielder and former Rangers player Andy Halliday, who claimed that the Gers manager made some errors at Ibrox and allowed Celtic back into the contest.
Rangers led 2-0 at the break thanks to a Youssef Chermiti brace, including a spectacular bicycle kick, but the Hoops fought back to draw 2-2 and benefited from a controversial late penalty that ultimately influenced the result of the derby.
Halliday highlighted what Rangers were lacking on the field as their first-half dominance faded in the second period and their early advantage was erased.
Andy Halliday on what Rangers ‘massively lacked’ against Celtic:
Speaking on Keeping The Ball On The Ground for Open Goal podcast, Halliday said: “There were a couple of things. I don’t think you can be as direct when you don’t have the two strikers, so I do think you need to relieve a bit of the pressure.
“I thought Rangers massively lacked a Steven Davis, a Barry Ferguson, somebody who would take the sting out of the game and just put their foot on the ball and make a couple of passes.
“But again, see the amount of times Rangers went back to Jack Butland in the first half. The only thought was, right, we’re going to squeeze the game because he’s going to go long. But in the second half I kept looking at it, [Daizen] Maeda was pressing on his own, if the two centre-backs just drop ten yards and they play a pass. The rest of Celtic’s team is further up the pitch, and you’ve calmed it down already.”
Insisting he felt this stemmed from Rohl’s instructions, Halliday added: “I genuinely do think that Rangers have been quite direct under Danny Rohl, and you can’t criticise it because they have won so many games. But I thought, in the context of the game yesterday, that they had to try to regain a bit of control. They couldn’t just keep turning the ball over in the second half.
“Because Celtic have shown over the last six, seven, eight weeks, regardless of not being a great team and not playing particularly well, they’ve got a habit of making comebacks, they’ve got a habit of finding their way back into games, but I thought Rangers just played into it a wee bit by constantly giving them the ball back.
“100% for me [they need to be better on the ball].”
On Rangers’ style of play ahead of next season:
Asked whether Rangers will adjust their approach next season, Halliday continued: “I think that’s f***g she then, you play this way for six or seven months if that’s what you truly believe in, to then wait for the next season… I think you need to start implementing it at some point now.
“You’re a title challenger now, so if you want to play like you’re saying [less direct], if that’s his plan for Rangers moving forward, you need to start integrating it now. If that’s how you see it getting the best out of your team. But I have no issue – if you’re going to be direct, set up to be direct, like they did in the first half. Just commit everybody forward and try to win second balls. But don’t then switch it up in the second half and have three bodies in the middle of the pitch, yet still be direct.”