Rangers’ Celtic Masterplan Exposed as Dan Neil Hails Derek McInnes’ ‘Run Through a Brick Wall’ Team Talk

The result sent Rangers into the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup while delivering the club’s first bragging rights of the season in emphatic fashion.

With only home supporters inside Ibrox, Rangers produced a performance that matched the atmosphere, controlling the Old Firm clash from the opening stages and never allowing Celtic to find a way back into the contest.

Neil was at the heart of it.

The summer signing from Sunderland scored twice, while Kevin Kelsy added the other goal as Rangers turned their tactical plan into a statement victory.

McInnes’ message was clear before kick-off

Neil explained that McInnes made sure Rangers were mentally prepared for the intensity of an Old Firm match before they even stepped onto the pitch.

The midfielder said the Rangers boss was “very good at team talks” and had his players ready to give everything for the cause.

“The gaffer made sure that we were ready to run through a brick wall.”

That mentality was evident throughout the match.

Even after Rangers had established a 3-0 lead, Neil said the players continued to work for one another rather than allowing the game to drift towards the final whistle.

“Everyone had each other’s backs from the first minute,” he explained.

“Even at 3-0, we were still running around to see out the game.”

For Neil, that collective commitment was just as important as the tactical instructions.

The tactical switch that helped Rangers dominate

Rangers did not simply rely on the energy of the Ibrox crowd.

Neil revealed that McInnes had prepared the team to alter their defensive approach during the match, switching from a more traditional block to a man-for-man system out of possession.

James Penrice was particularly important, stepping into midfield to help neutralise Celtic threat Benjamin Nygren.

According to Neil, the players were completely convinced by the plan before kick-off — and then executed it exactly as McInnes had wanted.

“We switched from being on a block to being man for man,” Neil said.

“The lads executed it perfectly.

“We all believed in the plan going into the game.”

That belief was crucial.

Rangers were able to press Celtic aggressively without simply throwing numbers forward and leaving themselves exposed, something Neil highlighted as one of the key aspects of the performance.

“We wanted to use that big crowd that we had behind us and really get after them,” he said.

“But we didn’t do it to the point where we left ourselves open.”

McInnes plays down the tactical genius

Despite Neil’s praise for the game plan, McInnes was keen to shift the spotlight away from tactics and towards the players themselves.

The Rangers manager argued that individual performances ultimately decide games — and he felt his side produced them in abundance.

“Sometimes tactics can be overplayed and it can be looked at too much to deliver a winning performance,” McInnes said.

“What normally wins games is individual performances more than tactics.

“And what we had today was performances.”

One of the players singled out for praise was Ryan Naderi.

McInnes revealed that the forward had been a fitness doubt after suffering a dead leg, but the Rangers boss was determined not to rule him out of an Old Firm game without giving him every opportunity to prove he could play.

Naderi felt better on Saturday before becoming increasingly confident that he could feature on Sunday.

McInnes admitted he would have hated to see a Rangers player miss an Old Firm fixture because of a dead leg — and Naderi ultimately justified the decision with a strong performance.

‘He works and works and works’

McInnes was particularly pleased with Naderi’s contribution leading the Rangers attack.

“He works and works and works,” the Rangers boss said.

“You want him to get his goals as a consequence of that, but he led the line.”

That work ethic fitted perfectly into a Rangers performance built around intensity, aggression and collective responsibility.

Neil’s comments suggest the tactical instructions were only one part of the preparation. McInnes also needed his players to believe completely in what they were being asked to do.

Against Celtic, that combination clicked.

Rangers have sent a message

The significance of the result extends beyond simply reaching the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.

McInnes believes Rangers needed a performance of this level to overcome Celtic, and he was adamant that his players delivered in every department.

“I don’t think we had a failure and that’s what it takes to win,” he said.

The manager also pointed to the strength of the club both on and off the pitch, while stressing that the victory should help Rangers players understand the importance of the fixture to supporters.

For Neil, meanwhile, the victory was proof that Rangers’ preparation had worked.

The players believed in the plan, executed it under pressure and maintained their intensity even after the outcome was effectively decided.

That is perhaps the biggest takeaway from the 3-0 victory.

Rangers did not simply beat Celtic. They followed McInnes’ instructions, matched the occasion physically and mentally, and produced the kind of collective performance that can give a new-look side genuine belief.

And with a semi-final place secured, Rangers now have a major derby victory to build on.