Every Other Saturday: Novo Proves Unlikely Key To Le Guen?s System

Livorno 2 Rangers 3

Last night?s terrific win for Rangers over Serie A?s Livorno proved a timely boost for fans more used to disappoint so far this season.

It was as good a performance as it was a surprising one. Never mind one hand, you can count on one finger the amount of times a Scottish side has dominated Italian opposition like that on their own ground. Last night. That was it.

The ?Ger?s 2-3 win was Scottish club football?s first over an Italian side in Italy ? a truly momentous achievement for a much maligned side who must see this result as a jumping off point for the rest of the season.

Everyone played their part and even Lionel Letizi, the Ringo to Allan McGregor?s far more popular Pete Best, pulled off some good saves despite looking a bit like an amateur juggler early in the first half.

Operating a seminal 4-3-3 system, the defence was solid and used the ball well while the midfield was absolutely dominated by Barry Ferguson and Brahim Hemdani, allowing youngster Charlie Adam to join in the attack almost at will.

Kris Boyd proved a willing target man while Thomas Buffel looked dangerous and fleet footed throughout.

But it was forgotten man Nacho Novo?s night. The little Spaniard scored his first goal in over a year, putting his injury troubles behind him with a stirring display of guts, guile and graft.

It?s hard to say what was more impressive, his tireless running, his endless chasing back or his superb support play for Kris Boyd which made it seems like we were playing with two up at times.

For me though, it was the example he set as a model professional.

In this age of player power, full of moaning millionaires harping on about how they need to feel the love from fans, managers and chairman before they can be bothered, it was truly inspiring to see the wee man come from a lengthy spell in the reserves and do his talking on the pitch, especially when what he said so emphatically was: ?I should be playing every week.?

Rangers fans have been trying to see for weeks how PLG?s preferred system will click.

Who will be the catalyst? Buffel? Maybe. Sionko? Hmm.

The boss got his answer last night. Nacho Novo absolutely terrorised a Livorno defence that included Champions League winning ex- Bayern defender Samuel Kuffor.

More importantly, he superbly linked a marauding midfield with Boyd more cohesively than any other player has for us so far.

We finally saw the merits of PLG?s tactical approach and it was Novo who brought it to life.

So, should he play every week, even ahead of class players like Prso? Well, I would say yes.

The thing about playing Novo regularly is that even when he?s off form, he never hides and he works like no other player in the team, perhaps Barry Ferguson excluded.

Last night?s performance has transformed Novo from a no-hoper to a no-brainer for Sundays match at Love Street against St Mirren.

The result is also a superb tonic for the troops, boosting the players and the fans after a few weeks of doubts and jitters.

Nothing won or lost yet of course but now we?ve seen what they can do and more importantly so have the team.

Let?s hope the team can take this confidence boost and really build on it, shutting up a few opposition fans and press loudmouths in the process.