What happened next will ensure Braga 20 will go down in Rangers folklore and be remembered in the same breath as Marseille 92 and Parma 99. Iannis Hagi, having started the fightback with his own wonder goal, stepped up to take a free kick 30 yards from goal. As Ibrox held it's breath, daring to think the unthinkable, the wind that had howled around Govan all evening moved the ball forward. For a moment it felt like time had been suspended as Hagi carefully re-positioned the ball, stepped back and hit a right foot shot towards goal.
We all know what happened next and as the ball nestled in the corner of the net Ibrox erupted with a deafening noise and bedlam broke out in the stands. (Scenes. Limbs. As the young folk refer to it these days.) It was pure unadulterated joy as the realisation of what had just happened dawned on each and every supporter. It was one of Ibrox's greatest nights as we witnessed the most unlikely of comebacks. Two nil down with 23 minutes remaining had somehow transformed into a 3-2 victory. As we left the stadium there was agreement that this was the spark that the team needed. This would get our season back on track. We could build from this. "Tell me this team can't yet win the league" I heard someone say to their mate as I walked down Edminston Drive.
As the teams took to the field at McDiarmind Park the adrenaline kicked back in. Here they were, our heroes, the team who made us believe again. A victory in the early kick off would allow us for the first time since the Winter break to apply some pressure on Celtic. There was some rumblings around the starting XI with Ryan Kent keeping his place in the team and no start for Florian Kamberi, who many believed had helped change the game on Thursday night versus Braga. Glen Kamara was dropped after an awful performance on Thursday with Ryan Jack coming straight back into the side after missing out through suspension earlier in the week.
Oh how naive we were in those adrenaline fulled minutes after the full time whistle versus Braga. It is said that a pessimist is never disappointed, yet how could we not believe as the game kicked off in Perth that our season was back on track. Within just eight minutes the euphoria of Thursday night faded dramatically as an awful defensive mistake from Niko Katic allowed St Johnstone to take a 1-0 lead. For Katic this was the beginning of what can only be described as an awful performance. His game was littered was mistakes and it's hard to think of a player who has looked so visibly scared to play football. Quite how he managed to play the full ninety minutes without being substituted is a mystery wrapped in a enigma.
With so many of us believing that the dramatic victory over Braga would provide the much needed spark our season so badly needed it was unbelievable to see Rangers turn in yet another insipid and uninspired first half performance. There was no cohesion to our play, the tempo was slow, simple passes were not being executed and decision making both collectively and individually was awful.
It had to be better in the second half and changes were made at half time with Kamberi coming on for Halliday resulting in Aribo taking up the left back slot and Kamberi playing in front of him. After only four minutes Kamberi had equalized with a wonderful left foot half volley that rifled into the back of the net and fifteen minutes later Aribo deftly finished after great work once again by Kamberi. All of a sudden we were back on the roller-coaster, had been given another fix and were rising high again.
With previous Rangers teams going 2-1 up against St Johnstone with twenty minutes left would have pretty much guaranteed the three points. It should have done on this occasion as well, but like we did against Aberdeen at Pitroddie in December, against Hearts at Tynecastle and against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park we failed to see the game out. With ten minutes to go a long ball forward was once again not dealt with by our centre halves and from the resulting corner St Johnstone equalised. We were back on the canvas and this time we didn't get back up.
Whilst the players on the field must take individual responsibility, Steven Gerrard and his coaching team cannot be absolved from blame for what is happening on the pitch. It has been apparent for a number of weeks that a change in personnel has been required with a number of players clearly not performing. It's hard to understand why Florian Kamberi did not start the game against St Johnstone either for Ryan Kent or even through the middle in place of Morelos. Criticism of the management team should not stop at which names make the first XI. The stubbornness that they have shown to the rigid 4-3-3 formation has, as we have said before, made us far too predictable.
It had to be better in the second half and changes were made at half time with Kamberi coming on for Halliday resulting in Aribo taking up the left back slot and Kamberi playing in front of him. After only four minutes Kamberi had equalized with a wonderful left foot half volley that rifled into the back of the net and fifteen minutes later Aribo deftly finished after great work once again by Kamberi. All of a sudden we were back on the roller-coaster, had been given another fix and were rising high again.
With previous Rangers teams going 2-1 up against St Johnstone with twenty minutes left would have pretty much guaranteed the three points. It should have done on this occasion as well, but like we did against Aberdeen at Pitroddie in December, against Hearts at Tynecastle and against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park we failed to see the game out. With ten minutes to go a long ball forward was once again not dealt with by our centre halves and from the resulting corner St Johnstone equalised. We were back on the canvas and this time we didn't get back up.
Whilst the players on the field must take individual responsibility, Steven Gerrard and his coaching team cannot be absolved from blame for what is happening on the pitch. It has been apparent for a number of weeks that a change in personnel has been required with a number of players clearly not performing. It's hard to understand why Florian Kamberi did not start the game against St Johnstone either for Ryan Kent or even through the middle in place of Morelos. Criticism of the management team should not stop at which names make the first XI. The stubbornness that they have shown to the rigid 4-3-3 formation has, as we have said before, made us far too predictable.
It is not acceptable to keep doing the same thing over and over again and to hope that it will get better. Perhaps what makes this more galling is that when changes to this formation are made, and when players are deployed in different positions, it has a positive effect. There was clear evidence of this against Braga when Hagi was moved into the No.10 role as opposed to the right wing and Joe Aribo was moved to left back. Our forward play and link up was reignited and we regained the balance and attacking threat that was missing earlier in the game.
Dropping seven points in the games mentioned above is simply unacceptable, particularly when in each of the games we have been in a winning position. Whilst it could be argued that results have come as a consequence of individual errors, once again the management team must take responsibility. It is their job to put the correct individuals into the correct position. They must now question whether they are employing the best person to handle situations such as this and whether they have equipped these individuals with the skills and qualities required to do their job effectively.
With the month of February not yet finished our title challenge has been extinguished and this is an unbelievable situation considering where we found ourselves at the start of the year. This week we now have two enormous fixtures. Defeat in both would effectively end our season completely and would heap enormous pressure on Steven Gerrard and his team. It would not necessarily be terminal for the management team but would leave them in an extremely difficult position.
It's hard to see at moments like this that progress has been made and their is a risk that should we fail to progress against Hearts on Sunday it will be obscured completely. Our performances in Europe should not be underestimated and their is no doubt that on this stage Gerrard and his staff have excelled. But the fans want success and to win trophies and whilst Gerrard will rightly highlight the impressive European performances, unless we were were to go all the way in the Europa League, which is unlikely, their will be no trophy. Having had an opportunity to deliver the league cup in December the Scottish Cup must now become an absolute priority for Gerrard. Winning it will prove to the fans that the management team and players not only have the ability but also the desire, attitude and belief to succeed. Failure to win will leave us with more questions than answers.
With the month of February not yet finished our title challenge has been extinguished and this is an unbelievable situation considering where we found ourselves at the start of the year. This week we now have two enormous fixtures. Defeat in both would effectively end our season completely and would heap enormous pressure on Steven Gerrard and his team. It would not necessarily be terminal for the management team but would leave them in an extremely difficult position.
It's hard to see at moments like this that progress has been made and their is a risk that should we fail to progress against Hearts on Sunday it will be obscured completely. Our performances in Europe should not be underestimated and their is no doubt that on this stage Gerrard and his staff have excelled. But the fans want success and to win trophies and whilst Gerrard will rightly highlight the impressive European performances, unless we were were to go all the way in the Europa League, which is unlikely, their will be no trophy. Having had an opportunity to deliver the league cup in December the Scottish Cup must now become an absolute priority for Gerrard. Winning it will prove to the fans that the management team and players not only have the ability but also the desire, attitude and belief to succeed. Failure to win will leave us with more questions than answers.
WDTCR 💙
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