MARK Hateley is confident Rangers can cope without their two first-choice strikers Kyle Lafferty and Alfredo Morelos against Aberdeen and book a Betfred Cup final spot.
Liverpool and England great Steven Gerrard is facing a major selection headache ahead of his first semi-final as Ibrox manager at Hampden tomorrow afternoon.
Lafferty is cup tied having played for Hearts in the competition earlier this season and Morelos is suspended after picking up a booking in the quarter-final win over Ayr United.
Morelos has featured in all but one of the Glasgow club’s matches during the 2018/19 campaign – the Europa League group game against Villarreal last month.
And Northern Ireland internationalist Lafferty was available to lead the line in that match in Spain and scored to help his side draw 2-2.
But legendary Rangers centre forward Hateley has been impressed by Gerrard – who could bring Roma loanee Umar Sadiq in from the cold or move another player up front – this season and believes he will know exactly how to address the problem.
“Steven has options for the striking role on Sunday,” he said. “He might play with a false nine or pick another striker. There’s a lot of willing runners in midfield.
“It’s about whether he plays a central striker or not, but he’ll have a plan. They know the system Aberdeen play and they’ll be working on a way to break that down without a number nine.”
Rangers fans will greatly outnumber their Aberdeen counterparts after the Pittodrie club were forced to return thousands of briefs to the SPFL after being unable to sell their allocation.
Yet, Hateley feels Gerrard’s new-look side have learned how to deal with performing in front of huge crowds quickly this term and will cope with the occasion despite their inexperience.
But the Englishman, who lifted the League Cup three times in his career and helped Rangers beat Aberdeen in a classic final in 1992, would like to see the Ibrox club perform as well domestically as they have in Europe.
“Some of the players haven’t played a lot of football and are learning to deal with the demands of playing for Glasgow Rangers,” he said.
“Connor Goldson has played more games for Rangers than in the last two years of his career. Steven will be surprised we have done as well as we have, but you have to take that and run with it and it builds confidence.
“Steven will be hammering the point that they need to transfer their European form into the domestic campaign. They’re playing well at home which is a surprise because there’s more pressure in front of 50,000 fans.
“The supporters want to win 4-0 or 5-0 and they’ve coped with that really well but it’s usually the other way around - there’s less pressure away from home.
“It’s about winning every game whether it’s a semi-final or the first round of the cup. That’s the way it is at the Old Firm - if you don’t win every game it’s a disappointment.”
Hateley added: “The domestic games have been more of a problem than Europe for Rangers. In the Europa League matches most of the opposing teams have been on the front foot.
“And Rangers are more dangerous in that situation because they can defend now with a back four, or five if you include Allan McGregor who has been brilliant, and are quick on the counter.
“Ovie Ejaria has settled in well and getting game time and really coming onto a game. In Europe there is more space for him to do his tricks and make the passes which has suited Steven Gerrard and his new team.
“It’s still a new team and we aren’t even into November in the season. European football is the way for Rangers at this particular moment and that’s where they’re getting their confidence.
“They know teams will come onto them and they can counter as good as any team I’ve seen. They are still finding their own strengths, never mind opponents’ weaknesses.
“These players should now know the fact they are playing for a demanding audience and manager.”
Mark Hateley was speaking at a Street Soccer Scotland event. Street Soccer Scotland deliver a range of football related personal development and training programmes to socially disadvantaged adults and young people across Scotland including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.
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