Pundit stunned over key Rangers decision made by Barry Ferguson vs Dundee as he claims boss lived to regret it

One pundit was left shocked by a decision Barry Ferguson took during a pulsating 4-3 win for Rangers against Dundee.

Their Achilles Heel of failing to beat the teams they are expected to threatened to haunt Ferguson’s men at Dens Park. Tony Docherty’s hosts raced into an early two goal in lead in Tayside against a side who had previously dispatched Fenerbahce and Celtic, but lost to Motherwell too since Ferguson’s interim reign began

Eventually, they got a goal back but at half-time, the performance levels from Rangers were way off it. Ian McCall, a former boss in the SPFL on co commentary duty for the game via Sportsound, was shocked one man survived the half.

Rangers criticism comes for Ridvan Yilmaz

As the teams got underway for the second period, Ian McCall was left stunned as to how Ferguson decided left-back Ridvan Yilmaz should stay on the park after a difficult first half. He said: “I thought in the first half hour it looked an obvious change to go to a back four. It’s a tough decision for Barry Ferguson as the way they finished the half, they were very much on top. He’s chosen to go to the four. I am very surprised Yilmaz is still on the pitch to be honest.”

Jefte eventually replaced Yilmaz and McCall reckons not making that change at half-time may be something Ferguson regrets, as it was admitted on the airwaves by match commentator Alasdair Lamont it had not been a happy afternoon for the Turkish international. The former Partick Thistle and Clyde manager said: “I think Barry will think now he should have done that at half-time.”

Full time reaction

In the end, and after going 3-1 down in the game, another late show and epic comeback was mounted by Rangers as Cyriel Dessers struck at the death to win the game 4-3. Ferguson told Rangers TV: “It is a brilliant three points overall, but it was off the standards I expect, certainly in the first-half and they were told that at half-time. They are a group of players that will sit down and listen and take a bit of criticism but one thing about them is that they have brilliant character, they dug deep for one another and in the end, we got the three points.

“I knew when Tav got that goal to come back at 3-2 I just sensed it we were on the front foot and certainly that was the case, but we have to be better. I saw old, bad habits creep in and I can't allow that to happen. I have said to them after the game, and it is a case of we need to really sit down and go through things and work on things because I wasn't happy with certain scenarios within the game.

“That is my job as manager, that is my job with the staff to go and sort them. Since I have come in, they have shown they have got heart, they'll go right to the end and certainly they did that and that was the reason we got the three points.”