Rangers run riot against hapless Motherwell
First Scottish hat-trick for Nikica Jelavic
It is the beginning of a big week for Rangers but Walter Smith could hardly have asked for a better start than this thrashing of Motherwell. The recent League Cup semi between these sides suggested that another close game may have laid in store but this game was in keeping with the previous league games. Rangers have now stuck 14 past Motherwell in three league games and in all honesty, it could have been more at Ibrox today.
The plaudits will rightly fall for Jelavic who grabbed a hat-trick but David Healy with a debut goal and Steven Naismith grabbing the headlines for the right reasons will both be very satisfied with their days work. Throw in an own goal, a comfortable debut for Bartley and the opportunity to rest Jamie Ness and you have to say it was a very good day for all concerned at Rangers.
Much like Rangers fans carp on at Aberdeen and Mark McGhee for some of the capitulations the Dons have had against Celtic, those on the other side may raise an eyebrow at Stuart McCall. That would be wrong to do though, McGhee had plenty of experience as a manager who should have been able to rouse his team enough to prevent them from receiving such a hammering.
McCall on the other hand has done little to impress in his managerial career and his appointment may not have been the best decision John Boyle has made in his life. Then again, with the teams below them, it would take a catastrophic fall to relegate Motherwell this season so that should not be an issue for the Steelmen, who will be hoping to write this off as a bad day at the office.
Jelavic has to step out of the team on Thursday night against Sporting Lisbon but it means the striker will be fresh for the trip to Parkhead next weekend. It may be a big ask to look for a hat-trick from Jelavic but one goal may be enough to give Rangers a distinct advantage once again in the SPL.
It has probably been a trying week for all concerned at Ibrox so blasting the opposition away in such a manner will have lightened the mood considerably. Turning attention to Europe should provide enough of a new motivation to keep the atmosphere bubbly for the most of this week too.
How will Rangers fare against Sporting?
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