Ibrox No 1 challenges team mates to show mentality required to sustain a Premiership title bid
Ivor Pandur has warned his Rangers team mates they must learn to manage games more effectively if they are to maintain their Scottish Premiership title challenge after being held to a frustrating 2-2 draw with Dundee at Dens Park.
Derek McInnes’ side travelled to Tayside with the chance to return to the top of the league table but were left to reflect on two costly defensive lapses after surrendering their advantage in an entertaining contest that brought their seven-game winning run to an end.
The result leaves Rangers one point behind Celtic, who face Hearts on Sunday, and Pandur’s disappointment was compounded by the manner in which they allowed Dundee back into the contest, although the goalkeeper stressed that responsibility should not rest with individual players.
“Really frustrating,” said the Croatian international. “It's not a nice feeling, especially after winning so much. We know it's football, it's dropped points and we are not happy about it. But I think we are in this together. We all have these moments in the season, but it's a moment where we need to show what we want to achieve this season.”
Captain Dan Neil was at fault for a mishit back-pass under pressure that gifted Callum Jones the opportunity to restore parity after 69 minutes. But Pandur was quick to defend his colleague, highlighting the importance of collective responsibility.
“This will happen. I think in football it's a game of beautiful moments, it's a game of mistakes and one day it's one player, the other day it's the other,” he confessed. “We are not the team who is pointing fingers, because as a whole I know we created a lot and we should have scored more, but it's not about individuals here.”
Rangers urged tolook beyond Neil’s mistake
Neil’s contrasting fortunes offered a particularly striking illustration of Pandur’s argument. Having scored twice against Celtic in a memorable Old Firm victory a month earlier, the midfielder found himself at the centre of Rangers’ latest setback.
“A month ago he scored two goals against Celtic and he was the hero,” Pandur recalled. “I think tonight he makes a mistake. This shows you how the game can be. The reality is Dan is an unbelievable player and a great guy and really important for our team. He makes mistakes or scores goals, it doesn't change. He's important for us and he'll continue to be.”
Pandur acknowledged that Rangers must learn to prevent individual errors from having such a decisive impact on results, particularly with the title race becoming increasingly demanding entering into the winter months.
He explained: “If we want to be a title-winning team we need to act and behave in that certain way. I think we are on the right path, but it's just a game that is frustrating. For us it's just not to get in that position where one mistake really costs us the game. I think we could be more in front and have a little bit of an easier ending.”
There remains confidence within the Rangers dressing room that the setback will not trigger the kind of downturn that has followed disappointing results in the past. Pandur believes the togetherness within the squad provides a foundation from which to respond.
He concluded: “We have togetherness, we have a good feeling between each other, everyone supports each other and I think we can get through these moments.”
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