Graeme Murty conceded that Rangers will have to go back to basics after being put to the sword by a ruthless Celtic in an absorbing tussle at Ibrox.
The Rangers manager was left cursing his side’s inability to perform the fundamentals to purposeful effect, as well as the lack of a clinical edge, as Rangers twice squandered the lead to go down to their 10-man rivals.
Alfredo Morelos also missed a glorious chance in the last knockings which could have earned Rangers a share of the spoils. That opportunity simply illustrated the areas Murty’s men have to improve on while Celtic’s leveller on the stroke of half-time changed the way Murty approached his half-time pep-talk.
He said: “It’s incredibly tough but we were punished for not doing the basics very well; passing the ball, shifting the ball and defending basic stuff was what cost us today.
“It (the equaliser) changed the momentum of the game and that second goal highlighted that the basics were not right. You can’t get done by one straight ball in that situation. I thought all the goals on our part were poor.
“It takes some energy away from the guys, you have to lift them but then we get another lift with the sending off and once again we didn’t show enough quality, composure or tempo with the ball. We were too happy to deliver the ball into the box rather than play through them. The first time we did play through them we have a chance (Morelos) from three or four yards we don’t take. There are a few things we need to get better on, a lot of different stuff. These are the fine margins at the top level. They (Celtic) have players who can hurt you. You have to be clinical. They managed it we didn’t it.”
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