Alan Stubbs says Rangers can’t cope with Celtic fans’ return after Old Firm collapse
Rangers were assisted “massively” by empty stadiums last season and were “found wanting” back in front of the Celtic fans this week, says Alan Stubbs.
The Light Blues were blown away in the first half of the Old Firm derby on Wednesday night by a Hoops side playing in a raucous atmosphere at Parkhead, falling to a 3-0 defeat and surrendering top spot in the Scottish Premiership.
And ex-Celtic defender Stubbs believes that the presence of the home crowd was the big difference between the two visits to Celtic Park during Gers’ triumphant season last year, and the capitulation this week.
In a clip shown on Sky Sports News on Thursday (February 3, 04.35pm), the ex-Hibs manager said: “The manner with which Celtic dismantled Rangers was a real warning shot, and a statement of intent. It could have been five or six by half time if not for Allan McGregor.
“Rangers just didn’t have any answers for what Celtic threw at them.
“I’ve not seen Rangers like that, in terms of so abject, for a couple of years now. That Rangers performance was a mirror image of the way they dominated Celtic last season.
“Having no fans last season helped Rangers massively.
“You’ve seen the first time back at Celtic Park, in front of a full house, the atmosphere looked amazing. They were found wanting.”
Shock to the system
It’s a big claim from the former Everton player and at first glance it seems to hold some weight.
Gers were unbeaten in the derby last season, including a win and a draw as the away side, in matches played without fans due to Covid-19.
And at the first chance the Hoops fans had to give their congratulations for last season’s title win, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side wilted.
But it does ignore the fact that in the last meeting between the sides before the pandemic arrived and saw the rest of the season cancelled in 2020, Gers won at a full Parkhead.
McGregor saved a penalty in a 2-1 victory, where many of the same players who were so ineffective this week showed they could cope with the pressure.
Granted, it was not a mid-week night game and the atmosphere on Wednesday was surely a factor.
But the other major difference is of course that the previous results were gained under Steven Gerrard, and his successor now has big questions to answer as his serene introduction has given way to bad results.
In other Rangers news, Simon Jordan has blasted both sides after the Old Firm clash.