Alan Archibald: My side were not more aggressive against Rangers

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald looks ahead to his side's Betfred Cup quarter-final against Rangers. Picture: SNS

11 SPFL matches to be broadcast live in December

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.”

Archibald actually felt his team were too passive in the first half. They trailed 1-0 at the break but Erskine put them ahead before his red card and Graham Dorrans levelled for Gers.

And they will take confidence from holding on with 10 men after twice losing leads and late winners against Rangers at home last term.

The Thistle boss said: “There’s that belief that we can score goals against a top side. The second-half performance was much better than the first.

“We gave it away a lot in good areas in the first half. We were more aggressive in our pressing as well further up the pitch, and that actually led to our first goal in winning the free-kick.

“We defended really well too and hopefully that will help us be mentally stronger in Tuesday night’s game.”