Paul Lambert claims Rangers ‘can’t run’, have no chance to beat Celtic on Saturday
Rangers “don’t have the legs” to beat Celtic because the Hoops are just better, according to former Parkhead midfielder Paul Lambert.
The manager gave his blunt assessment that without an ability to run in the modern game you have “no chance”, while placing Michael Beale’s Gers side on the negative side of that deciding factor and his former club on the positive.
He acknowledged that an Old Firm derby, regardless of the number of fans for and against – Rangers head to Celtic Park on Saturday (8 April) where there will be no away support – is a unique game that cannot be predicted, but he leant heavily on the view that the Light Blues are simply not up to the task.
He told BBC Sportscene, as per the Daily Record: “Celtic have got a fluency about them. It doesn’t matter who plays or what system the manager is going to go with, they look as though they know exactly what they’re doing. That’s the difficulty for Rangers, they find it hard to keep up with Celtic.
“If you can’t run in the modern day game, you’ve got no chance. You have to get close to people and I’m just not so sure if Rangers have the legs to combat that.”
The one-time Champions League winner with Borussia Dortmund stopped short of making a prediction for the game, saying: “Whether Celtic have got the 60,000 there and Rangers don’t have anybody, it’s a unique game. It’s whoever brings their A-game to the table and whoever keeps their calm heads tend to win.
“Rangers benchmark has to be Celtic, that’s the game they have to win, it’s not the other games, it’s your Old Firm rivals that you have to turn over. The only disparity I see here is Celtic is a better team than Rangers at the minute.”
Harsh
The league table doesn’t lie and until there isn’t a gaping distance between the two Glasgow sides it is easy forpundits to argue they are the better side.
Beale’s midfield team selection in the Viaplay Cup final defeat on 26 February got him heavily criticised as Rangers looked pedestrian in the middle with Glen Kamara and John Lundstram starters.
The introduction of Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell helped change the complexion of the game, and even though it wasn’t enough if proved that the Bears do have legs.
Part of Beale’s justification for not putting his two January signings in the starting XI was that the incumbents had done well in the 2-2 draw at Ibrox on 2 January.
Celtic were fortunate to come away with a late draw that day as the home side had the better of the play, so while it remains very much top of the manager’s tasks to get a first win in the Old Firm derby, he hasn’t been miles off so far even with supposedly one-paced players.
Too often under Giovanni van Bronckhorst the Gers looked mentally not up to the task more than physically, and there is no doubt this weekend will be a big ask, but if they actually play to their potential there is definitely enough in this side to come away with a result.
In other Rangers news, Ibrox fans to welcome an unfortunate ace with open arms if the club can pull of a rescue job.