Mettlework
It is said that any kind of competitor learns far more about themselves in defeat than they do in victory. Be it in full-scale commercial sport like football and rugby, ‘lesser’ pursuits like darts and fencing, or even at the bottom end of the sports spectrum with a game of tiddlywinks, the theory is that by suffering a loss, a participant or team has to show character and a deep will to win in order to respond and bounce back in the following game/match they find themselves in.
Indeed, this situation is even more magnified when said individual(s) has enjoyed a long and sustained winning run in which victory has become regular and expected. To then crash to a reverse is to find themselves tasting that which they have bestowed on others several times. The question then is posed, and answers are expected.
Rangers found themselves in that exact scenario, having scaled to the top of the league following an impressive start to the season. Victory after victory in both league and European competition had led to an extremely confident support going into the match in Edinburgh against a Hearts side who had been ripped apart by a rampant Celtic weeks earlier. So to suffer a crushing loss to this side thoroughly dented Rangers, and lost them their top of the table position. Thereafter the question was posed as to whether they could take this on the chin, accept a very bad day at the office and respond in a way which suggested they still had the stuff of champions elect.
Cue Wednesday’s Champions League Group E opener against German champions VfB Stuttgart. Saturday’s defeat had been anything but ideal preparation going into this one, but after 45 minutes of an extraordinarily even contest against the side from the Bundesliga, it was clear Rangers had eradicated the loss from their system and had risen from the ashes to show serious guts and determination. 0-0 it stood at half time with the visitors not managing to pose too many questions of Rangers, while the Govan side had threatened more than once with at least one gilt-edge chance falling to Darcheville.
The second half went underway, and Ibrox was silenced when the away side snatched an opener. This was now the true test. Having lost to Hearts, Rangers found themselves 1-0 down at home during such an important game. Could they come back and show their mettle, or wither away and lose two in a row?
Two goals later, a victory in the bag, three points registered in their group answered that one. Rangers showed true grit on Wednesday, not only equalising via a quite delicious Adam goal resulting from the move of the night from Hutton, but taking the lead when the same man was upended crudely in the box for Darcheville to convert the resulting spot kick from. It finished that way, a seriously inspiring result, and a glorious outcome which the home side fully merited.
That was test #1. Test #2 was to come four days later at Ibrox once again, when Aberdeen came to town. With Celtic having dropped all three points at Easter Road thanks to a horrendous display from their normally fine stopper Boruc, Rangers had it in their own hands to take all three points and reclaim the top spot.
Half time followed a pretty dull first 45, in which Rangers played little more than adequately. The news from Easter Road had surely filtered through by this point, and the second half started explosively with McCulloch firing the Ibrox men into a brilliant lead thanks to a classic 35 yard scorcher. Naismith added a second with a stunning run and blistering finish from tight angle, before substitute Boyd rounded off proceedings with a header to make it a 3-0 victory, and a fairly easy one at that despite an indifferent first half.
Rangers had passed both tests with flying colours and answered all questions asked of them.
There have been four tests this season; Belgrade away: report card has a pass. Hearts at Tynecastle: report card has a fail. VfB home: report card has a pass with merit. Lastly Aberdeen: report card has a pass.
Three out of four is pretty good.
We shall see if this good work can be maintained.
Indeed, this situation is even more magnified when said individual(s) has enjoyed a long and sustained winning run in which victory has become regular and expected. To then crash to a reverse is to find themselves tasting that which they have bestowed on others several times. The question then is posed, and answers are expected.
Rangers found themselves in that exact scenario, having scaled to the top of the league following an impressive start to the season. Victory after victory in both league and European competition had led to an extremely confident support going into the match in Edinburgh against a Hearts side who had been ripped apart by a rampant Celtic weeks earlier. So to suffer a crushing loss to this side thoroughly dented Rangers, and lost them their top of the table position. Thereafter the question was posed as to whether they could take this on the chin, accept a very bad day at the office and respond in a way which suggested they still had the stuff of champions elect.
Cue Wednesday’s Champions League Group E opener against German champions VfB Stuttgart. Saturday’s defeat had been anything but ideal preparation going into this one, but after 45 minutes of an extraordinarily even contest against the side from the Bundesliga, it was clear Rangers had eradicated the loss from their system and had risen from the ashes to show serious guts and determination. 0-0 it stood at half time with the visitors not managing to pose too many questions of Rangers, while the Govan side had threatened more than once with at least one gilt-edge chance falling to Darcheville.
The second half went underway, and Ibrox was silenced when the away side snatched an opener. This was now the true test. Having lost to Hearts, Rangers found themselves 1-0 down at home during such an important game. Could they come back and show their mettle, or wither away and lose two in a row?
Two goals later, a victory in the bag, three points registered in their group answered that one. Rangers showed true grit on Wednesday, not only equalising via a quite delicious Adam goal resulting from the move of the night from Hutton, but taking the lead when the same man was upended crudely in the box for Darcheville to convert the resulting spot kick from. It finished that way, a seriously inspiring result, and a glorious outcome which the home side fully merited.
That was test #1. Test #2 was to come four days later at Ibrox once again, when Aberdeen came to town. With Celtic having dropped all three points at Easter Road thanks to a horrendous display from their normally fine stopper Boruc, Rangers had it in their own hands to take all three points and reclaim the top spot.
Half time followed a pretty dull first 45, in which Rangers played little more than adequately. The news from Easter Road had surely filtered through by this point, and the second half started explosively with McCulloch firing the Ibrox men into a brilliant lead thanks to a classic 35 yard scorcher. Naismith added a second with a stunning run and blistering finish from tight angle, before substitute Boyd rounded off proceedings with a header to make it a 3-0 victory, and a fairly easy one at that despite an indifferent first half.
Rangers had passed both tests with flying colours and answered all questions asked of them.
There have been four tests this season; Belgrade away: report card has a pass. Hearts at Tynecastle: report card has a fail. VfB home: report card has a pass with merit. Lastly Aberdeen: report card has a pass.
Three out of four is pretty good.
We shall see if this good work can be maintained.
posted by RangersMedia @ 6:56 PM
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