Derek McInnes has a golden opportunity to beat Celtic at Parkhead on Sunday after their Europa League drubbing, but he must avoid overthinking his tactics. Rangers' 3-0 Premier Sports Cup quarter-final win at Ibrox last Sunday was as comprehensive as they come in this fixture, and Celtic's midweek misery in Europe has only increased the pressure on Martin O'Neill's side.
Having a full week to prepare for the derby while Celtic were being beaten by Ferencvaros on Thursday night should give Rangers an advantage. But there is a downside to all that time. Since last Sunday's Ibrox mauling, McInnes will have been pondering how to repeat the trick across the city.
Overthinking the derby
Sometimes overthinking these derby battles can be dangerous. Given the nature of the Europa League drubbing Celtic suffered at the hands of the Hungarians, you'd think McInnes' job would be easy. He'll be tempted to go with the same game-plan they carried out to a tee in Govan. But that's not how football works.
In a bizarre way, the manner of Celtic's loss in midweek might have given the Rangers manager even more to consider. After Ibrox and before Ferencvaros, McInnes might have tweaked his line-up for Parkhead, expecting Celtic to respond positively in Europe and fly out the traps on a revenge mission.
Celtic's fragility exposed
With that in mind, you wondered if McInnes might sacrifice one of his more creative players - like Minsu Kim - and bring in an extra defender in Ben Godfrey. That would be seen as a cautious step, but ordinarily, going to Celtic Park for a derby is arguably the biggest challenge any Rangers team will face all season.
When the atmosphere gets frenzied inside that stadium, players in blue shirts have been known to buckle under pressure in recent years. So bringing in someone with Godfrey's experience and physical presence might have been a ploy McInnes was contemplating. He could have pushed Dujon Sterling up one, kept James Penrice in midfield and deployed a slightly sturdier shape.
Time to press the advantage
But now, McInnes might be having second thoughts. After what we all witnessed at Parkhead on Thursday, there's now an argument to say Rangers must go there and attempt to press their foot against Celtic's throat. Forget bringing in another defender like Godfrey - it might be an extra attacker he needs. Such was Celtic's fragility at the back, why wouldn't they?
O'Neill's side clearly isn't in a good place. Against Ferencvaros, they looked scared of their own shadow. Celtic have been traumatised by what happened in Linz against LASK in the Champions League. They've conceded 12 goals in their last seven games and look a mess at the back. Their midfield is disjointed and lacks physicality. Even up front, where Celtic have assembled an expensive forward line, they suddenly look devoid of any belief.
It's McInnes' job to ensure Rangers exploit all of that. But it's easier said than done. This fixture has a habit of biting you when you least expect it. Hoops fans will initially make it as hostile as possible for the visitors, and they'll still expect their beleaguered players to start fast and put Rangers under the cosh.
His two strikers, Ryan Naderi and Kevin Kelsy, caused their centre-backs no end of problems at Ibrox. That pair won't stop running and pressing, which is something O'Neill's backline doesn't look capable of dealing with right now. Throw in the energy of Penrice, the pace of Djeidi Gassama, and Rangers' new-found solidity at the back, and McInnes must feel Celtic are there for the taking.
But he still needs his players to turn up. As he said after the cup win, having a plan or a vision is one thing. Without players executing it, it's worth nothing. That's why his side have a golden opportunity on Sunday. A fortnight ago, McInnes would have probably bitten your hand off for a draw. But now, there is undoubtedly more up for grabs.
A win over Celtic in their own back yard wouldn't just close the gap at the top of the Premiership to two points and get them back in the title race. It could cause irreparable damage to O'Neill and a Celtic support which is calling for heads to roll already. But more importantly for Rangers, it would be a massive statement of intent in a season where they have no Euro distractions. To achieve it, the manager will need to get his set-up and tactics spot on again. And watching what unfolded at Parkhead on Thursday might just have finally made his mind up on how to go about it.
