Partick V Rangers at Firhill Stadium : Match Preview

18 September 2017 06:20
Archibald denies claims Partick Thistle were more aggressive against Rangers

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald has refuted claims his side are more aggressive against Rangers than other opponents.

Gers boss Pedro Caixinha claimed many of his opponents saved their most aggressive play for his team in the wake of Friday's 2-2 draw at the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.

Thistle had Chris Erskine sent off and five other players booked against Rangers after receiving seven yellow cards in total in their previous four matches.

Ahead of Tuesday's Betfred Cup quarter-final between the teams, Caixinha claimed opponents regularly displayed more aggression against Rangers than against other teams.

But Archibald said: "I can only talk about our own team and I don't think so. We are probably not aggressive enough. I really wish we were a bit more aggressive.

"I don't think there were the amount of bookings in the game that there was the other night.

"But we treat every game the same, it's not any different. It maybe just seems like that, when other teams get more of the ball, there are more tackles going in. Maybe that's something that could be looked into with stats.

"But it's not, 'We are playing Rangers, we are going to go and kick them', by any manner of means."

Caixinha claims their opponents are more aggressive against his team than other Ladbrokes Premiership side.

"It's interesting, because normally when you watch the opposition teams playing against maybe the four opponents before they play against us, and normally in those opponents are top teams like playing against Celtic and Aberdeen, and I don't see the same behaviour," Caixinha said.

"I don't see the same aggression that they have with those teams that they have with our team.

"I'm not criticising. I'm saying that we need to know how to deal with it because it's happening and it's happening on a regular basis. So it's one more thing that we need to care about - not caring about the opponents' game, playing our football - but when it's time to fight, it's time to fight."

Caixinha, who will be without injured skipper Lee Wallace for the trip to Maryhill and Saturday's visit of Celtic, added: "It's a fact. I'm not saying why it's happening. The fact is that it's happening and we need to know how to deal with it."

Source: PAR