E GUEN: BOYD CAN BE EVEN BETTER

By Lisa Gray, PA Sport

Rangers manager Paul Le Guen watched Kris Boyd grab a double against Hearts then told him: "You must do better."

The Scotland striker had spoken earlier in the week of his frustration at failing to start a game under his new boss this season.

And he knew he had a point to prove when Le Guen threw him into the starting line-up for the visit of last season's SPL runners-up.

He responded by converting from the penalty spot within seconds of the second half, before netting his second just two minutes later.

Le Guen was thrilled with the goals, and a crucial win, but he believes Boyd has plenty more to offer this season.

"I am happy with his two goals but I think that he could be better," he said.

"To score goals is very important, the most important thing in football, but he must also be available to his partners.

"I feel that he must be aware, that he must improve in the game."

As well as Boyd and Chris Burke, Manchester United duo Lee Martin and Phil Bardsley were also added to the starting line-up, as Le Guen made changes to his team for the first time this season.

He was happy with their performances but, like Boyd, he will expect more from his Old Trafford loan signings in coming games.

"Lee can bring something else. He is fast but he must also improve," he said.

"He must be more efficient but he is a very good opportunity for me.

"I am pleased with Phil. He was fine but he needs to play games and to become more confident.

"At the beginning he was a little bit nervous but he was fine."

Le Guen remains unsure whether he will be able to keep both players at Ibrox until the end of the season.

"It depends on us and Manchester United too," he said.

"It was a good option for us to take them and it was a good option for them too.

"They can play and they need games to improve. I will talk with Alex Ferguson over the following months.

"But, today, everybody is happy."

Hearts were far from happy with the result and head coach Valdas Ivanauskas knows the defeat did his team no favours ahead of their Champions League qualifier against AEK Athens last week.

Despite taking the lead in the first leg at Murrayfield, the Jambos were fortunate to escape with a 2-1 defeat against a Greek side who squandered a barrowload of chances throughout the game.

And few would give them hope of salvaging the tie in the white-hot atmosphere of the Greek capital, especially with Roman Bednar and Michal Pospisil now nursing injuries.

"It will be difficult," Ivanauskas admitted.

"Every game is difficult but this isn't a league game where you have a long time to build a reputation so it will be hard."

Robbie Neilson was sent off in the dying seconds at Ibrox, while Julien Brellier, Steven Pressley and Takis Fyssas also made it into referee Kenny Clark's book.

But Ivanauskas insisted discipline was not a problem.

Speaking of Neilson's dismissal, he said: "Maybe he was a bit unlucky to be sent off in the last minute but, for me, there is no problem.

"It was a tough game and I think the players were frustrated. Discipline is important to me but I don't think it was about lack of discipline today, it was frustration."

Taken from sportinglife.com