[ad_1]
Date of publication: Friday 14 December 2018 9h14
Steven Gerrard said the Rangers will need reinforcements in January after seeing his shy team go unpunished on the Europa League, the last 32.
The Ibrox had to defeat Rapid Vienna in their last Group G clash to follow Villarreal in the round of 16.
But the remarkable run that started on July 12 after being forced to play four qualifying matches came to an end after Dejan Ljubicic's last winner sealed a 1-0 victory for hosts Allianz Stadion.
Gers traveled to the Austrian capital without three important men – Ryan Kent, wounded, suspended, Daniel Candeias and Ovie Ejaria, still "troubled" – and their lack of vanguard in the last third was their loss to the Ordinary outfit of Dietmar Kuhbauer, Rapid.
The demands of 14 European ties pushed the Gers to the limit, but if the boss of Light Blues was satisfied with the numbers he had to work with, he confessed that he now needed to recruit a player of higher caliber to reach the upper level. at home and abroad.
He said, "We have certainly been tested. As a group, we did not help with certain situations and suspensions. Injuries were also felt at important times, as with Kent on weekends.
"Not having Kent and Candeias available affects the group. So we did not help ourselves throughout the campaign.
"In terms of numbers, I think we have enough to cope with. But to compete at this level, with ambitions to go further than the group, it is obvious that the players need help.
"It obviously means quality players who can come and help."
The Rangers – acclaimed by around 3,500 spectators inside the Rapid-filled house and by thousands of others in downtown bars – have settled faster than the hosts and have almost benefited the vital breakthrough in the middle of the first half, as Connor Goldson headed for the bar.
But they found the situation more difficult after the interval and saw their adventure end six minutes from the end of the match while substitute Ljubicic jumped.
"I thought we were good for 80 minutes," Gerrard said. "I can not really ask players to give more of what we have available tonight. We made an all-powerful effort.
"Obviously, as the game came to the finals, we were trying to roll the dice and be more adventurous to try to create something. We have unfortunately conceded a counterattack, but it's very difficult for me to criticize the players for what they gave. "
The Gers started their campaign with an impressive 2-2 draw at Villarreal before beating Rapid in Glasgow.
But a 4-3 defeat to Spartak, Moscow was followed by a 0-0 draw with the Russians at home and Gerrard confessed that his team had failed to make the most of his opportunities.
He said: "Once we have badyzed the trip as a whole, we will definitely go home to Moscow, 0-0, a few opportunities that we missed.
"We will return to Moscow when we have scored a very good goal [that was wrongly disallowed].
"We could put ourselves in a better position tonight. But that was not the case. If you badyze the whole course, the players have been very successful, but the reality is that at this level, we are a little short. It's my job to try to fix it. "
[ad_2]
Source link
