Breaking News:Motherwell urged to find clinical edge for Rangers Hampden showdown
Stuart Kettlewell has urged his Motherwell side to find their clinical edge when they go toe-to-toe with Rangers at Hampden this afternoon.
Kettlewell takes his side to the National Stadium while construction work continues on the Copland Road stand at Ibrox, looking to preserve a good record against Philippe Clement’s side.
Motherwell were unlucky to lose 1-0 at Ibrox in September but took a 2-1 win from Govan in March, and Kettlewell says they will need to ride their luck if they are to repeat that.
Kettlewell said: “We have to perform at our absolute best, as we always do, but not just against Rangers, against any team in this league – you don’t get anything for free.
“I felt we were the better side on Saturday, we created the best chances, their goalkeeper has made the majority of the saves in the game, and we didn’t convert our chances, we weren’t quite clinical enough when that came our way.
“We’re going to have to do all of that again, we’re going to have to carry an extra of quality.
“We understand we will be less in possession, that tends to be a given when these games come about, so that starts to feel a wee bit different in how you prepare, but it also starts to feel a wee bit different for the game on Saturday as well.
“Those are things we’ve experienced time and again. We understand that we need to be at our best, and we’re going to have to ride our luck.
“We beat Rangers 2-1 at Ibrox last season, we rode our luck on a few occasions throughout that game as well, but that’s sometimes part and parcel of football.
“We’re going to need that again, and we’re definitely going to need that clinical edge at the top end of the pitch, and that bit of creativity from the middle of the park, which I do believe we have. It’s about executing it when the time comes.”
Kettlewell doesn’t feel that the game being at Hampden will make any difference.
He said: “When this news broke that the game would be at Hampden, and would be Rangers’ first one at Hampden as a home venue, if you like, it didn’t make any difference whatsoever.
“You’re going to the National Stadium, playing in front of a similar number of people, playing against a really good side, in my opinion, and the challenges are going to all be there, whether that’s at Ibrox, Hampden or Fir Park.
“I’m not buying into any excuses about a change of venue or a different pitch. We knew our second game was going to be away from home, initially we weren’t quite sure where that was going to be, until there was confirmation.
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