Ally McCoist insists Rangers must sort out their mental weakness in Old Firm derby games to win the Scottish Cup – as he tipped them to BEAT Celtic at Hampden.
Ibrox strike legend McCoist’s former club are in the middle of a wretched derby run of one win – and even that was a dead rubber – in ELEVEN games against the Hoops ahead of Saturday’s showpiece. Rangers have also conceded the first goal in all but one of the last TWELVE meetings.
Philippe Clement is looking for his first victory over Celtic in what will be his fourth attempt and McCoist, speaking to talkSPORT BET, said: “These games are won in the head as much as anywhere else. Sadly, there’s a weakness in the mentality of some of the Rangers players going into this fixture. Hopefully it’ll have been addressed ahead of the cup final.
“Rangers have to start the game well on Saturday. It’s unbelievable how Rangers have started Old Firm games recently on the back foot. The one thing you have to do in an Old Firm game is come flying out of the traps and meet the opposition head on, and Rangers haven’t done that in recent games. They’ve been on the back foot. Look at the game at Ibrox in April, Celtic scored in 40 or 50 seconds. It was just unbelievable. Rangers fans were amazed with what they were watching!
“Celtic have had the better of Rangers in fixtures recently because of their mental strength. They go out there believing and knowing they’re going to win an Old Firm game; whereas the Rangers players look as though they are hoping they’re going to win an Old Firm game.
“So Rangers have to come out fast, but they also can’t afford to put tackles in like the one John Lundstram put in at Celtic Park earlier this month. I’m not talking about coming out and being aggressive like that, I mean they must show an aggressive attitude and a mental intelligence. You can play aggressively without picking up silly yellow or red cards! The one thing Rangers have to do is keep 11 players on the pitch but play with a far more aggressive attitude. If they can do that then they can beat Celtic. I think it could be 2-1 to Rangers.”
