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<-Page <-Team Sat 27 Jan 2007 Rangers 0 Hearts 0 Team-> Page->
<-Srce <-Type Sunday Post ------ Report Type-> Srce->
Valdas Ivanauskas <-auth Ron Scott auth-> Charlie Richmond
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13 of 022 ----- L SPL A

Rangers 0 - Hearts 0


By Ron Scott at Ibrox

Walter Smith is about to be the busiest man in Scottish football between now and the end of the month.
And anyone at Ibrox yesterday will understand why.
Even if the Rangers manager miraculously signs every player he’s been linked with during the current transfer window, the Ibrox side will still be far from the finished article.
Smith summed up Rangers’ predicament perfectly when he said on his return he is only back at Ibrox because of their current situation.
A decent break of the ball here would have resulted in a deserved home victory. Yet that would only have papered over the cracks.
Years of bad buys since Smith left first time round nearly nine years ago have more than caught up on Rangers.
In the end, a barren pitch helped produce a barren game and the frustrated jeers of the crowd at time-up were not only aimed at the referee and the visitors.
Rangers had more than enough of this game to have worn Hearts down. Yet apart from skipper Barry Ferguson, they had no one capable of producing that little bit of magic required against a stubborn, defensively-minded Edinburgh team.

Deadlock



Thirteen minutes from time Rangers thought they had broken the deadlock after Nacho Novo released Chris Burke down the right.
From the substitute’s measured cross, Ferguson appeared to time his run perfectly and deflected the ball beyond Steve Banks.
However, the assistant referee in front of the main stand flagged for offside. Try as they might after this, Rangers never looked like finding the net again.
For all their possession, Banks was rarely called on as Rangers struggled to create any clear-cut openings. There is no doubting the craft and guile of Ferguson and Charlie Adam. However, with Kris Boyd in one of his stagnant moods up-front, there was never enough movement off the ball for Rangers’ midfield to exploit.
Novo produced his normal all-out endeavour but sadly he lacks both touch and imagination to capitalise on his other virtues.
Many on the Continent would argue that Brahim Hemdani is technically correct in all he does. Unfortunately he is one-paced and lacking in the devilment to ever make a telling contribution in the hurly burly of Scottish football.
Rangers also opted to start with another Paul Le Guen signing in Czech Republic World Cup player Libor Sionko wide on the right.
Unfortunately, he never found his way and was replaced by Burke late on. By this stage, though, Hearts were firmly entrenched and in no mood to surrender anything lightly.
Their young skipper Christophe Berra was absolutely outstanding in the centre of defence where he led by example. He rarely missed a tackle and was brave enough to throw his body everywhere to block any dangerous situations when Rangers did get the ball in the box.
High quality
Hearts also enjoyed a sterling performance from the only other Scot in their starting XI, Neil McCann. The former Rangers winger was employed in central midfield and he used all his knowledge and experience to produce a high-quality performance.
Hearts are a strong, physical side and they stood up well to Rangers. They enjoyed an incredible let-off midway through the first half. After Banks blocked a Ferguson effort the ball broke to Boyd who looked certain to score until Berra manoeuvred his big frame to block the shot.
At least in the first half Hearts occasionally threatened on the break. However, after the interval they were more than content to sit in and were far the happier side with a share of the spoils.
The visitors continually frustrated both Rangers and the home crowd with their negativity, gamesmanship and timewasting.

It was a typical performance from a side with such little Scottish influence.
In fact, Allan McGregor did not have one single save to bring off in the home goal and so little action did recent signings David Weir and Ugo Ehiogu see, it’s impossible to pass judgement on them.
In an untidy, frustrating game there were two bookings. Karipidis for tripping Ferguson and Adam for a foul on McCann.

Man of the Match — Barry Ferguson covered every blade of grass and every bare patch at Ibrox trying to inspire his side without response.

Sunday Post
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