Source: Team_Talk
Draw would be fine for Gers gaffer
Rangers head into the clash trailing Celtic by just two points and knowing victory would see them leapfrog their rivals into pole position.[LNB]It is a far healthier position than the one Rangers found themselves following defeat in the last meeting with Celtic, when they were left seven points behind.[LNB]And Smith believes a share of the spoils would be an acceptable outcome this time around.[LNB]"I don't think a draw would be a bad result for either team as we are at the present moment," he said. [LNB]"This season we have won one derby each. It means the points we have dropped and the points that separate us have been lost to other teams.[LNB]"Whoever is going to win the championship has to adjust to that factor between now and the end of the season, as well as the remaining Old Firm games."[LNB]Smith does not believe the chance to go top necessarily adds any extra spice to this encounter.[LNB]"There is always an edge in the Old Firm games," he said. "The importance rises throughout the season and we only have one more Old Firm game in the championship after this so it's an important game for both sides."[LNB]Smith has been satisfied with recent performances but expects the visit to Parkhead to provide the biggest indication yet of Rangers' credentials for the remainder of the campaign.[LNB]He said: "We had a poor start to the season, not just the European games but in the league as well.[LNB]"We managed to win a few games without reaching any kind of great level of form. We have had little inconsistencies.[LNB]"We have the best defensive record in the league but there have been times when we have given up easy goals, like the goal against Celtic at Ibrox.[LNB]"These are things we are trying to adjust to and we seem to be settling down a little bit.[LNB]"We have been steadier in this spell than we have in any other five or six week period in the season.[LNB]"This will be the biggest test on Sunday so we will see whether we have settled down or not."[LNB]January proved to be a difficult month off the park for Rangers, who were forced to deal with constant speculation after admitting they could be forced to offload at least one key player to balance the books.[LNB]The transfer window closed with the nucleus of the squad intact and midfielder Lee McCulloch believes they deserve credit for closing the gap on Celtic in the circumstances.[LNB]"We are within touching distance," he said. "The way it's been going for us lately off the pitch has been pretty difficult but we have stuck by our job on the pitch pretty well.[LNB]"All the things which have been written and said were nothing to do with the players anyway.[LNB]"But it was playing on a lot of the players' minds and I think a lot of them will be happy the window is shut.[LNB]"We have kept our squad together and it's all about pushing on now."[LNB][LNB]
