As with St Johnstone, it’s been a summer of change at Rangers.
But that’s where the comparison between the clubs who face each other at McDiarmid Park on Saturday begin and end, according to Perth boss, Steven MacLean.
“It’s a work in progress,” he said.
“There are similarities in that both ourselves and Rangers have a lot of new players but they’ve had a wee bit more money to spend than me!
“Michael Beale is a top coach, a top manager, he’s just got a new group together and he’s bedding in his ideas with them.
“He’s probably chopping and changing and probably not sure of his best team yet either.
“Looking at the weekend, normally you can guess team selection.
“But even with their shape, you’re not quite sure whether he’ll play a diamond or a front three.
“But we’ve got a plan for both so we will see.”
Could lightning strike twice?
MacLean was the Saints assistant manager when Callum Davidson’s side beat Rangers last November.
No two games are the same but the building blocks for potential home success are.
Making sure pressure builds on their opponents is undoubtedly one of them.
“We scored two good goals and scored them at the right times,” MacLean recalled.
🤯 𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 🤯
A thunderous wonder strike from James Brown has St Johnstone ahead! 💥 pic.twitter.com/D4tLuYKCYh
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) November 6, 2022
“It’s important you start well and frustrate and, when you’re on top and you get opportunities, you take them.
“That then builds pressure.
“And we all know if you build that pressure on teams that come with a big support, they can turn and make it difficult for their own team.
“So that’s what we need to do.
“It’s not easy playing for a big club like Rangers when the fans turn.
“I’d like to think our players would thrive off that.
“As a player you’ve got to embrace that and enjoy making teams feel uncomfortable.
“Sometimes you’ve got to enjoy not having the ball as well. And working hard. Then when you’ve got the ball, be good with it.
“And you hope that they have an off day because, let’s be honest, when you play against the Old Firm teams and they hit the levels they can hit then it is difficult for you.
“But hopefully we can impose ourselves on them and cause them problems off a good shape and being hard to beat.”
He added: “We are looking forward to it, we’ve worked hard.
“We’ve got a game plan, we’re getting fitter and the group is getting better and better.
“You can see the training levels rising, which we want. The younger boys are learning all the time and will keep improving.”
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