Rangers dejected by Hearts factor that's tough to accept as Danny Rohl states why Jambos deserve 'big respect'
The Rangers boss believes his side ‘missed a big opportunity’ at Tynecastle on Sunday.
Danny Rohl was gracious in defeat after Hearts beat Rangers 2-1 in the capital, but also believes there were a few nearly-moments which could’ve turned the game on it’s head.
Had Bojan Miovski’s offside goal stood after ten minutes when he tapped-in from point blank range, the outcome of the Premiership match could’ve been different. However, after that was chalked off, the match was all Hearts, with Stuart Findlay and Lawrence Shankland on target in a memorable win, that puts them 12 points ahead of their Glaswegian rivals.
Hearts goals came in quick succession and the Rangers boss believes this four minute period was where the game was won and lost. He also said Hearts deserve ‘big respect’ after the way they defended in the closing stages when Rangers were pushing for a route back into the game.
‘Big respect’ to Hearts from Rohl
After the match, the Rangers boss said: “I saw a team from our side until the 1-0 that was together. We were really good in the game, unlucky with a tight offside decision. But then we had four minutes that cost us. This is really tough to accept. We know in such a game you have to be in every situation 100 per cent. I think for the corner, they played well [to score] at 1-0, but for me it's more how we come to the situation and it was unnecessary to have a ball-losing situation in our own half.
“Of course, until this moment we were really aggressive, we were well-organised, we took all the strength from them off, but in the end it's a 2-1, it's a defeat. And this is what we have to learn from this. In such games we have to come to 100 per cent as a group and an individual, and in some moments we were not at 100 per cent. And then you lose this game and you think it wasn't necessary.
“I felt in the stadium that they were impressed with our performance, how we reacted, but in the end they won. And then in the second half you have a different game, they're waiting for transition moments, you have to open up, you have to take more risks, and then they [Hearts] are good in this situation, they are doing well, so also big respect to them and how they work hard, but I felt really the first 40 minutes [before] the 1-0 that we were good in the game.”
‘We missed a big opportunity today’
Rangers had a chance to capitalise on the poor form of Celtic and go just six points behind the Jambos with a game in hand, however after Hearts’ win they remain fourth in the table and now have a mountain to climb to catch them. Rohl was visibly dejected that his team came away from the capital with nothing.
He continued: “We missed a big opportunity today, this is hard to take. I spoke about the steps, today it was more a side step than a step forward. We spoke about it - football is not about ifs and buts, it's about the result, and today we couldn't win. It's tough, because I felt really in the first half until the first goal there was more on, and in the second half I can just say that we tried everything, I think my team tried to put all the effort in, but then in such a game it's not so easy to come back.
“I think in the next three weeks we have big games, and it makes me positive that I see from my group that we are competitive, that we can take something, but I see as well, and this is today maybe a little bit similar to our European games, where we couldn't win these games in the small 50-50 situations, we have to be more clinical, have better decision-making, if we do this then we will take more points in the future.”