McGhee looking to frustrate Gers May 07 2008
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee has demanded his players show "courage" against Rangers on Wednesday night at Ibrox as they chase a place in Europe.
McGhee expects the home crowd to give the Gers a huge lift as Walter Smith's side play their first home match since reaching the UEFA Cup final.
And he has instructed the Steelmen that the way to beat the Glasgow giants could be through frustrating the hosts and keeping them off the ball for long stretches.
Celtic beat Well 2-1 on Saturday, although McGhee's third-placed team gave a decent account of themselves before Georgios Samaras headed the winner from Barry Robson's corner.
McGhee said: "I think the two things we have got to do are be prepared to keep the ball and defend set-pieces better.
"We are not going to score every time we have the ball. We have to have the courage to keep possession despite a big crowd who are going to want their team to be up for it."
McGhee rested several notable players against the Hoops, including Ross McCormack, Stephen Hughes and Graeme Smith, and has pledged to leave out other first-team regulars again, saving them for Saturday's crunch clash with Aberdeen.
Motherwell could tie up third place this weekend if they beat the Dons, and rivals Hibernian and Dundee United fail to overturn the Old Firm. But defeat would give the Edinburgh club hope of pinching third spot.
McGhee's men have two games in hand on the other contenders for third place, the first of which is the game in midweek and the second of which also comes against the Light Blues, on May 17.
McGhee said: "I will again spread the load but I will also pick a team I believe can beat Rangers.
"We have a lot of games coming up. Rangers have more than us but we have got two more games than everyone else."