Steven Naismith makes Rangers 'rode their luck' claim as Hearts boss bullish over Scottish Cup KO
19.04.2024 - 06:09
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Steven Naismith reckons Rangers and Philippe Clement were lucky to dodge a couple of heavy blows earlier in the campaign.
But with the Ibrox side reeling in their title fight the Hearts boss is convinced his players are now ready to deliver his old club a knockout in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi final. Hearts have floored every other top flight side in the last nine months including home and away wins over Celtic. However, four cracks at Rangers have resulted in four defeats including painful thrashings at Ibrox and the League Cup semi final at Hampden.
That stat is likely to still gnaw at Tynecastle chief executive Andrew McKinlay who almost exactly a year ago lamented his club’s failure to “lay a glove on Rangers”. Naismith can smell blood though. He reckons Philippe Clement’s side are swaying on the back of defeat to Ross County and Wednesday’s draw in Dundee. Even then he reckons they hit Hearts with a lucky blow when goals in the 90th and 93rd minutes earned Clement a 2-1 win at Ibrox in his second game in charge.
And, asked if Rangers were looking vulnerable after recent results, Naismith said: “We look at everything from players that are injured for the opposition, the way they play, their form. Two wins in eight tells you that they are not playing like they did before.
"But I would say that, in the time since the manager has come in, they've rode their luck a couple of times. The first game against us at Ibrox, they are lucky to get a point, never mind three. I think now, they are on the opposite of that and it's about how they are going to react to it.
"At this crucial point, it's not going to plan for them. I think it is unexpected but I'm not sure it's a surprise. There’s some players that have been there over the
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