Rangers manager Derek McInnes has emphasized the need for his team to develop a more ruthless attacking streak as they prepare to face rivals Celtic in a crucial cup tie. Despite securing four consecutive league victories, each won by a single goal, McInnes has expressed concern over his side's ability to convert chances into a more commanding scoreline.
"One goal was enough last night," McInnes reflected after a narrow win against St Mirren. "But it might not be against Celtic. So, we’ve got to recognise this and be ruthless and more instinctive with some of our attacking players."
The team's recent league performances have yielded only five goals across six matches, with one being an own goal. This lack of offensive output is compounded by injuries to key strikers. Lawrence Shankland is recovering from hamstring surgery, while Thelo Aasgaard is on loan and Youssef Chermiti is sidelined with a knee injury. This leaves McInnes with Ryan Naderi and Bojan Miovski, each with one league goal, and Kevin Kelsy, who is yet to score.
McInnes highlighted that while the team is improving at creating chances, the final decision-making and execution in front of goal need enhancement. He noted the youthfulness of his forward line, comprising players like 22-year-olds Naderi and Kelsy, and 20-year-olds Minsu Kim and Findlay Curtis, suggesting that experience will be crucial in developing this final-third sharpness.
"We’re very young at the forward line when you look at us," McInnes added. "So, we’ve got a lot of young players up there. I do think sometimes that last pass, that last decision, that last shot is something we need to take care of a wee bit more."
The manager acknowledged that the intense atmosphere of an Old Firm game might not be the ideal environment for young players to gain experience, but believes they must learn to thrive in such pressure. Drawing on his own playing experience in the 1990s, where he won three of his four Old Firm encounters, McInnes stressed the importance of "personality, confidence even before you go on the pitch."
"There can’t be any hesitation, any doubt for my players," he stated. "Obviously, discipline is important. You make sure you’re competitive and aggressive and show your intent but play within the laws and make sure you don’t get caught up in the fixture as well."
McInnes also cautioned his team to be aware of Celtic's key players, such as Camilo Duran, without becoming overly focused on them. The aim is to negate their influence while maximizing Rangers' own attacking potential.
The recent late victory against St Mirren provided a much-needed boost to team morale, which had been impacted by a prior loss. McInnes observed a positive dynamic within the dressing room, which he described as a "dressing room that I recognise and I want my team to be."
With the Old Firm clash looming, McInnes believes a significant win against their biggest rivals in a cup tie could be transformative for his squad, particularly the new signings. "The feel-good factor and the benefit you can get from that could be massive," he said.
The manager acknowledged the difficulty of the cup tie but also pointed to the opportunity: playing at home and being just 90 minutes from Hampden and three games away from silverware. "You’ve got to beat the good teams to win a trophy ordinarily and we’ve got a tough game, there’s no two ways about it. But, equally, we’ve got to make it tough for Celtic as well. I think they’ll expect a tough match and that’s what we intend to give them."