Rangers v Motherwell: Barry Ferguson makes first major blunder as manager
Barry Ferguson has named the Rangers playing eleven to take on Motherwell at Ibrox on Saturday.
After winning his first game in charge against Kilmarnock, the interim manager will look to go on a winning run in his early days at Ibrox.
However, his decision on 1 March may be something that comes back to bite him and he may need to rectify it in the second half.
Ridvan Yilmaz at right-back is certainly a major concern
Given the crisis in defence, Ferguson has opted to play Ridvan Yilmaz at right-back on Saturday.
This is undoubtedly a major concern as the Turkish left-back has struggled to play on that side of defence.
With James Tavernier at centre-back, someone needed to fill in at centre-back, but that’s the wrong way to look at things.
Leon Balogun is a centre-back by trade and is on the bench so he should be the one starting with Tavernier at right-back.
Gers have to take the early lead against Motherwell
When Gers face Motherwell, starting strongly and taking an early lead is crucial for setting the tone of the match.
A fast start will allow the hosts to assert dominance, forcing Motherwell onto the back foot and disrupting their game plan.
Scoring early not only boosts Rangers’ confidence but also puts pressure on Motherwell to chase the game, potentially exposing defensive gaps that Ferguson’s men can exploit.
| Date | Rangers – last six results | Result |
| 26 February | Kilmarnock (A) | W 4-2 |
| 22 February | St Mirren (H) | L 0-2 |
| 16 February | Hearts (A) | W 3-1 |
| 9 February | Queen’s Park (H) | L 0-1 |
| 2 February | Ross County (H) | W 4-0 |
| 30 January | Union Saint-Gilloise (H) | W 2-1 |
Motherwell, known for their resilience, tend to grow into matches if given time to settle, gaining momentum and making life harder for their opponents.
If Gers allow this, Motherwell’s physicality and tenacity could turn the tide, making things more difficult.
An early lead gives Rangers breathing room to control possession, dictate the tempo and avoid a scrappy, unpredictable battle late on.
Without it, Motherwell’s confidence will build and the hosts risk being dragged into a tougher, more competitive contest than necessary, jeopardising valuable points.