The Rangers manager Michael Beale has warned his players that Celtic will punish them again if they fail to stay alert for every second of today’s Old Firm game at Ibrox.
Celtic capitalised on Rangers’ slow reactions and lack of organisation at throw-ins and other set pieces when they won 4-0 at Celtic Park in September. Ange Postecoglou’s players would restart play within a couple of seconds of the ball going out and even the home ball boys and ball girls were charged with reacting quickly to maintain a high tempo.
Rangers’ failure to cope with that brought them their second heavy defeat in the east end of Glasgow in 2022 having also lost 3-0 in February. It turned out to be Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s final derby, with Beale to take charge of his first today.
Beale has promised to go with an experienced side which understands the pace and urgency of an Old Firm game, although James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Ryan Kent and Glen Kamara are all likely to start in today’s 12.30pm kick-off having been among those who froze in the previous derby.
The Rangers manager recognised the consequences of losing concentration against Celtic. “It is dangerous, isn’t it, if you switch off at set plays and things like that?” Beale said. “It is dangerous because they will look to play quickly. Celtic themselves got done with a goal recently, I think at Motherwell, when they switched off. It is about when the ball goes dead people don’t switch off. It is important we stay alert because maybe a couple of goals in that [Old Firm] game could have been avoided. It is important in these games that you don’t give anything away cheaply. If the other team is going to hurt you they have to have earned it.
Advertisement
“We have to start well in the game because, in the last couple, certainly away from home, we haven’t. We have to match it all the way through. The players will get a feel off me, off my body language. My experience of having dealt with the games and understanding what the day is all about will hopefully be something of a positive.
“I’m going to pick an experienced team and I’m going to pick a team to win the game. Hopefully that excites them and motivates them to go and be the best version of themselves. Anything less than that, then it won’t be enough.
“I’m looking forward to it. This week is a big week for me. My family come back to live up here, which is great, the kids go back to school, and this game being now is really special.”
Tavernier admitted Rangers let themselves down badly in the previous clash. “In the game at Parkhead we didn’t do everything possible as a team that I know we can do,” he said. “Those are the ones that hurt more because you know there is more to give.”
