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Gerrard will keep experimenting with formation

Gerrard will keep experimenting with formation
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Rangers struggled in a midfield diamond and needed four penalties to help them beat St Mirren on Saturday.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard admits his starting formation was unsuccessful in Saturday's win over St Mirren but vowed to keep experimenting.

Gerrard reintroduced the midfield diamond formation he employed in the recent defeat by Kilmarnock as January signings Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe began the match after being left out of the starting line-up in the previous weekend's win over Livingston.

Rangers won 4-0 but with the help of four spot-kicks – three of which they scored from – in a controversial display by referee Andrew Dallas.

Gerrard told Rangers TV: "I don't think the diamond worked again at the weekend but I don't think any system is going to work if you don't have that intensity or aggression in your play.

"I felt when we went to a 4-4-2 in the second half at the weekend we looked a lot better, we had a bit more balance and Ryan Kent certainly looked more dangerous out on the left.

"You learn all the time with players individually and collectively but certainly having Jermain around does give us more of a threat and gives us the chance to play two forwards on the pitch, which is what we're going to need at times."

Ahead of Wednesday's trip to Aberdeen, Gerrard added: "It is my job to keep oppositions guessing. There was times when we played the 4-3-3 system before the winter break where we were looking like we needed more of a threat on the pitch.

"We went to a 4-4-2 against St Johnstone when (Kyle) Lafferty came on and he made a big difference and gave us more of a threat up top.

"We have got options to do that but I won't be playing 4-4-2 every week or four-diamond-two every week. We do have to have flexibility in our game if we want to be successful."

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Rangers manager Steven Gerrard celebrates on December 29, 2018
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic23193164115360
2RangersRangers22135441182344
3Dundee UnitedDundee Utd2310763124737
4Aberdeen2210573230235
5Motherwell2394102837-931
6Hibernian237883436-229
7Dundee2376103741-427
8St Mirren2383122738-1127
9Kilmarnock2367102537-1225
10Ross County2367102342-1925
11Hearts2366112531-624
12St Johnstone2343162547-2215


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