Simon Donnelly: Rangers were asleep and should have anticipated Celtic onslaught
Former Celtic midfielder Simon Donnelly feels that Rangers should’ve anticipated a fast start from Celtic and were asleep in their harrowing Old Firm defeat.
Three first-half goals put Ange Postecoglou’s side out of sight before an error from Jon McLaughlin gifted David Turnbull a fourth goal in the second half.
Donnelly has says Rangers looked sluggish and asleep during the first Old Firm encounter of the season.
Talking on BBC Sportscene on 3 September [18:30], Donnelly said: “Rangers would’ve known what Celtic were about from the first minute, they knew they were going to go for the jugular.
“They were asleep.
“You saw the reaction to the throw-in and the quick free-kicks
“They were sluggish from the off and just couldn’t handle Celtic.”
Big reaction
What is absolutely crucial for Rangers is that they react in the right way to this Old Firm defeat.
Celtic are already in command when it comes to the Scottish Premiership and the Gers can ill-afford another defeat until the two sides meet at Ibrox at the start of January.
The Hoops will drop points along the way this season and it’s essential that the Gers are still in touching distance for when they eventually do stutter.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side face Aberdeen in their next domestic fixture, but before that, they start their Champions League campaign against Ajax.
The Gers’ European form has carried them in recent years and it’s an excellent chance for the players to immediately put right their display against Celtic at Parkhead.
It would be easy for Rangers to head to Aberdeen next week and deliver another sluggish performance off the back of the Old Firm defeat.
The Light Blues cannot afford to drop any more points and allow Celtic to extend their gap at the top of the table further.
In other Rangers news, Jim White has delivered a damning verdict after what he saw at Celtic Park.