McInnes wants Rangers more ruthless ahead of Hearts return
Derek McInnes was pleased with a 4-0 win over St Johnstone at Ibrox but said his side should have been further ahead at half-time, with a trip to his old club next.
By PLZ Soccer,
On The Football Show, Derek McInnes reflected on Rangers' 4-0 win over St Johnstone at Ibrox and looked ahead to Wednesday's trip to Hearts, the club he managed last season.
Kevin Kelsy scored twice, with Ryan Naderi and Tochi Chukwuani also on target. McInnes said the scoreline hid an odd pattern. He said his side were "so good and so brilliant at times in the first half and created so many opportunities that we're only a goal to the good at half-time."
Second-half adjustment
McInnes said "I asked the players to be brilliant today, not just win the game". He felt they had been in the first half, but added that the interval suited St Johnstone. He said "they played direct up to the big striker" after the break and that Rangers were slow to react at times. "We changed our back four just to see that through," he said. Once the second goal arrived, "from there on in, it was quite straightforward."
He was respectful of the opposition, saying "we've no divine right to expect to get a 90-odd minute dominant performance" and adding: "They're a good side in their own right and they're doing well."
Finishing and positives
McInnes admitted the message at half-time had been that "we need to be more ruthless", but he backed Kelsy, saying the striker "always gets good separation in the box between him and his defender" and that "sometimes it's just that final decision-making." He noted that "St Johnstone will fill in the middle of the goal with bodies, and the keeper makes a couple of good saves."
He also highlighted improvement at set pieces, saying "we were a threat from set plays today, better than we've been as well", and praised the late goal, where "Gassama's created a brilliant opportunity for Tochi at the end." With a clean sheet, both strikers scoring and minutes for fringe players, McInnes said there were "lots of learnings for us here" but that he could not complain too much.
Back to Tynecastle
McInnes acknowledged the attention his return to Hearts will bring. "There's going to be a lot made going back there," he said, insisting "what we have to concentrate on is the game."
He knows what awaits. "Hearts have got such a strong home record. We went last season unbeaten at home, and there's a reason for that."