‘In hindsight, maybe’ – Gerrard admits decision he might have got wrong v Benfica
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard admitted that in hindsight he could have brought on a defender in the closing stages against Benfica.
The Gers threw away a 3-1 lead at the Estadio da Luz in the final 15 minutes, with Benfica down to 10 men, to draw with their main Europa League group D rivals.
After the match, Gerrard was visibly frustrated and admitted that his side’s approach in the closing stages was too aggressive.
Asked if centre-back Leon Balogun could have come on towards the end, Gerrard said (via Daily Record): “I think hindsight is a wonderful thing, but you don’t need to make changes to get control and order and becoming more solid and conservative on the pitch.”
“We didn’t need the full backs to go high and wide, we didn’t need to risk possession. We’ve got enough experience and enough defence minded players on the pitch to get better order and better game management. In hindsight, maybe.”
Naïve performance
This really was a match that showed the good and bad of Rangers under Gerrard, with the Ibrox side outstanding in attack at times. However, they lacked the mentality and intelligence in the closing stages of the match and continued to push for goals with a 3-1 lead.
The fact that a draw against Benfica is seen as a disappointment shows how far they have come under Gerrard, but given that their opponents played the majority of the game with 10 men, this was a missed opportunity.
The former Liverpool midfielder will want to drill the importance of remaining switched on defensively into his players ahead of the reverse fixture, especially given that they have been so solid for the bulk of the season.
Filip Helander was at fault for the first goal and could have done better in managing Benfica on the break, with Balogun an option to come in. The Nigerian impressed against Lech Poznan and his experience could have been vital in the closing stages.
While the result will still be raw in the period directly afterwards, Gerrard can take plenty of positives from the performance and now begin to build on the few areas that need to be improved.
In other Rangers news, ‘Disastrous’ – Ally McCoist tears apart Rangers duo after ‘shocking’ night v Benfica