Source: Team_Talk
Ferguson wants quick Gers response
The midfielder thought Darren O'Dea's goal 60 seconds into extra time had "deflated" his team-mates as Celtic comfortably held on before Aiden McGeady sealed a 2-0 win from the spot in the closing seconds.[LNB]Now Rangers have to bounce back quickly to ensure Celtic do not extend their three-point lead in the SPL.[LNB]Walter Smith's men host third-placed Hearts on Saturday and Ferguson is confident they can quickly get the club's first Old Firm final defeat for 20 years out of their system.[LNB]"We've got to lift ourselves," Ferguson said. "Obviously it's disappointing to lose the League Cup, we want to win every competition we enter.[LNB]"Now we have got the Scottish Cup and the league so we need to dust ourselves down and get on the training ground and work hard, and it starts with Hearts on Saturday.[LNB]"It's a totally different competition, a one-off game, a final.[LNB]"I'm not going to lie, everybody in the dressing room is disappointed. But we'll come back in and have a chat and get back on the training ground."[LNB]Ferguson admitted O'Dea's headed opener had stung Rangers just when they thought they had gained control of a tight contest.[LNB]"It was a close game," the 31-year-old said. "They got a bit of momentum after the goal and went on and got a second.[LNB]"Finishing the game, we thought we were in control. Right after extra time starts, they get their goal. It gives them a lift and deflates us a wee bit."[LNB]Rangers had suffered a pre-match blow with the loss of Madjid Bougherra to a calf problem, but Ferguson dismissed the significance of the centre-back's absence.[LNB]Kirk Broadfoot returned from injury to come in and Ferguson thought he covered well, despite his injury-time red card for hauling down McGeady.[LNB]"I thought Kirk did an excellent job," Ferguson said.[LNB]"Obviously Madjid has been a massive player for us and it's disappointing to lose one of your best players, but I thought big Kirk came in and did the job very well."[LNB]Meanwhile, Ferguson played down his touchline spat with Celtic coach Neil Lennon.[LNB]Ferguson pushed Lennon as he tried to retrieve the ball from the technical area during extra time, then feigned to throw the ball in the face of the former Celtic skipper, who responded with a shove.[LNB]But the Scotland captain said: "There's no problem, you saw after the game there was no problem.[LNB]"It was just an Old Firm thing. We shook hands after the game."[LNB][LNB] Scottish Premier Winner 2008/09 Win Outright: Rangers 5/4[LNB]
