Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin insists he now has a clearer understanding of what needs to be done to bridge the gap with Rangers.
The Reds blew an early lead at Ibrox on Saturday to crash to a sobering 4-1 defeat.
Despite that loss, Goodwin remains focused on ultimately closing the gap with big-spending Rangers and Celtic.
He accepts it is a formidable task due to the financial chasm between Aberdeen and the Glasgow duo.
Rangers and Celtic will both earn more than £30 million from participation in this season’s Champions League group stages.
That is despite both clubs being set to crash out of the Champions League, and Europe, having finished bottom of their groups.
‘We found out where we need to get to’
As disappointing as the heavy loss at Ibrox was, Goodwin will not let it derail his bid to slashing the gap on the Gers.
Goodwin said: “It gives us an understanding of what we have to do to try to bridge the gap between ourselves and Rangers.
“We speak about trying to bridge the gap between ourselves and the top two teams.
“I’m pretty sure Hearts and Hibs will have similar conversations.
“We know the financial gulf that is there and people speak long and hard about budgets,
“We found out where we need to get to.”
Goodwin’s belief in rebuilt squad
Aberdeen boss Goodwin set up with an attacking 3-5-2 formation at Ibrox.
In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, he said he would accept any criticism for opting to “go for it” instead of “parking the bus on the 18-yard line”.
Goodwin overhauled the squad in the summer transfer window by introducing 11 new signings.
Despite the chastening defeat, Goodwin is still confident he has built a team capable of competing with Rangers in Glasgow.
That will be tested once more when Aberdeen face Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden on Sunday, January 16.
Goodwin said: “As much as it kills me to say it, Rangers were the better team.
“However, I believe in this group.
“I believe we have a group capable of coming to places like Ibrox and having a go.
“We believed in ourselves and got our noses in front.
“That’s why we set up the way we did.
“And the real sore point is that we were able to get that goal but couldn’t capitalise on it.”
Failure to silence Rangers’ fans
In the build-up to the Rangers clash Goodwin outlined his aim to be positive in a bid to get Rangers fans’ anxiety “creep on to the pitch”.
Rangers were under pressure having lost five games out of five in their Champions League group.
Just days prior to facing Aberdeen, the Ibrox club had lost 3-0 to Napoli in Italy.
Rangers had also been booed off at full-time in their previous two domestic games against Livingston (1-1) and Championship Dundee (1-0 win).
The Dons went ahead when Connor Barron hit the opener in the 21st minute.
However, it was to Goodwin’s frustration that they could not hold on to the lead long enough to make Rangers’ fans frustrations affect the players.
Aberdeen scored good goal but Rangers ‘reacted well’
Rangers levelled just six minutes later through Antonio Colak.
Goodwin said: “In the build-up to the game we talked about trying to be positive from the offset.
“About trying to get our noses in front and see how they react.
“We scored a good goal from our point of view.
“The crowd were getting a wee bit nervous and anxious and you could feel that in the stadium.
“In fairness to the Rangers players, they reacted well to our goal and scored an equaliser.”
If Colak’s equaliser was a set-back, Goodwin insists John Lundstram’s goal in first half injury time was a “killer blow”.
It derailed Goodwin’s planned changes at the break and meant the Dons were chasing the game.
‘We were probably a bit too gung-ho’
Goodwin said: “In the last few minutes of the first half it was a case of let’s be sensible.
“Let’s manage the game and get to half-time at level pegging.
“Then we can make one or two changes and see how it goes in the second half.
“Unfortunately we were done with a real sucker punch in added time in the first half.
“It was a poor free-kick from our point of view.
“In hindsight, we should probably just clear our lines and put it into the stand and deal with the throw-in.
“Then we didn’t deal with the free-kick after that.
“Kelle Roos makes a brilliant save down low to his left, but unfortunately the Rangers players reacted quicker than mine.
“That’s the bit that frustrates me more than anything.
“Lundstram’s free in the middle of the penalty box and won’t have an easier finish than that all season.
“That second goal was a real killer blow. If you come in at 1-1 at the break, it is not a disaster. At 2-1, we were chasing the game a little bit.
“We were probably a little bit too gung ho too early, which allowed Rangers time and space when they won the ball back.”
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