Rangers legend explains why Dundee result isn't armageddon as star with 'end product' found at Dens Park
Rangers lost ground on rivals Celtic in the league last weekend
Rangers legend Barry Ferguson believes their poor performance against Dundee isn’t the end of the world in the context of the season, while also identifying a Gers star with ‘end product’ who stood out.
At 2-1 up at Dens Park, the Light Blues were on course to pick up their eighth victory on the spin, but a 69th minute error led to the hosts equalising. As rivals Celtic demolished Hearts 7-1 the following day to move four points ahead of Rangers, questions have been asked whether Derek McInnes’ relatively inexperienced side have the minerals to mount a title challenge.
But former club captain and manager Barry Ferguson doesn’t think it’s panic stations just yet. Instead the five-time SPL champion thinks it can be used a learning curve for the squad - most of whom have never played for a club with demands like there are at Ibrox.
Why does Ferguson believes Rangers can turn things around?
In his Daily Record column, he wrote: “They’ll (Rangers) learn from this. If you can’t get the killer third goal in difficult circumstances like that, then you make sure you don’t lose one at the other end. I didn’t enjoy the way it ended but I’m relaxed enough to believe that Rangers will use this disappointment as a jolt to sharpen themselves up for the games ahead.
“There’s 29 more league games to come and the chance of a place in the first cup final of the season. Maybe if this performance had come with nine games left I might have felt my own knickers start to get a little bit twisted. But, with so much still to play for, I’m confident this will go down as nothing more serious than a minor bump in the road.”
Who stood out for Ferguson at Dens Park?
Rangers overturned Dundee’s opener through two wonder-strikes from winger Badredine Bouanani and midfielder Nico Raskin. The former impressed Ferguson in what was his first league start - and he thinks he could be a ‘difference-maker going forward.
On the Stuttgart loanee, he added: “I understand why he (McInnes) wanted to find a place in the starting XI for Badredine Bouanani and the winger showed why with a stunning equaliser. He then had another terrific effort in the second half which was only kept out the back of Dundee’s net by a top class save. Bouanani looks like a difference maker to me. He has the ability and the end product to make a massive contribution to the team. He’s just been short of playing time so it’s no wonder Del wants to get him up to full speed as quickly as possible.”
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