Source: Team_Talk
Gers boss targets treble triumph
Smith masterminded a 2-0 Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final victory over St Johnstone which booked the Irbox club a date with St Mirren at the national stadium next month.[LNB]Rangers have so far reached every domestic final since Smith returned to the club three years ago, losing only last season's Old Firm League Cup showpiece.[LNB]With Celtic already out of this season's competition and trailing their arch-rivals by a massive 10 points in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, Smith's men are heavy favourites to complete two legs of a treble.[LNB]The Rangers boss believes his injury-hit squad cannot afford to lose any more players to sustain a challenge on three fronts but reckons a clean sweep is not out of the question.[LNB]"It's never impossible until you can't do it," he said.[LNB]"If you're at the Old Firm, you've got to set out at the start of every season and have a target of trying to win the domestic trophies.[LNB]"Trebles are never easy to win - I know that myself through past experience.[LNB]"So we'll carry on as we're doing and try to win the games as they come along and hope that that's good enough for us.[LNB]"This spell that we're having and the problems we have, if we do take injuries, it could ruin the season for us.[LNB]"But that's in the background just now.[LNB]"We're enjoying the fact that we've got to the first cup final of the season and we'll look forward to that."[LNB]Smith felt the first goal - scored by the outstanding Steven Davis - was crucial.[LNB]After Lee McCulloch added a second, St Johnstone enjoyed a brief spell of dominance before Rangers substitute Steven Naismith missed a penalty.[LNB]Smith said: "We're a little disappointed that in the latter stages of the game we didn't add to our score.[LNB]"But we're obviously delighted to be in another final."[LNB]The Rangers boss hailed the performance of man-of-the-match Davis, who scored for the third successive game.[LNB]"He's been playing extremely well for," Smith said.[LNB]"I don't know what he's done but he's been adding goals to his performances at the present moment, which obviously we're delighted with."[LNB]Despite their injury woes, Rangers have managed a superb run of results of late.[LNB]"We have a good spirit and determination about us - there's no doubt about that," said Smith, who was confident Kyle Lafferty (thigh) and Nacho Novo (ankle) would both be fit for Saturday's Active Nation Scottish Cup tie at St Mirren.[LNB]"For us to have reached - so far - every domestic cup final that we could for a third season now, you need a little bit of luck."[LNB]Opposite number Derek McInnes felt his side let themselves down badly tonight as they froze in the Hampden snow.[LNB]"Ultimately, it's just a feeling of disappointment," he said.[LNB]"There's no real satisfaction in terms of how we played and our approach.[LNB]"Maybe I expect too much from us at times and I expect us to be better and defend better.[LNB]"Rangers are through because they took a couple of opportunities and they defended better throughout the game.[LNB]"I thought we had some really good performances but I do think certain the goals were very, very poor and ultimately that's cost us."[LNB]Murray Davidson missed a good chance to put Saints ahead when he headed wide.[LNB]"Nine times out of 10, you would expect him to hit the target and possibly get a goal from there," McInnes said.[LNB]"We're just desperate to get back here and have another go at it."[LNB][LNB]
