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Rangers striker Martyn Waghorn is enjoying Pedro Caixinha's more direct style of play after feeling they "overplayed" under Mark Warburton. Caixinha stated he wanted Rangers to be more aggressive in the final third and attack the ball in the box and has given Waghorn a key role, starting the forward in all four games so far. Waghorn endured a frustrating start to his second season at Ibrox, only scoring two Scottish Premiership goals from the time he injured his hamstring after scoring in the season opener against Morton until Warburton left in February. He has since scored five goals in all competitions.
The former Leicester and Wigan striker said: "I think at times we did try and overplay. The manager wants us, when we play through lines to stay through lines, and attack the box as quickly as we can. As a striker, it is nice to know we are going to be getting the ball in the box and get chances. So, it's a better, quicker, direct style of play which all the forward boys are going to enjoy."
 Martyn Waghorn (c) PA Wire/PA Wire/PA Images
Rangers have been given a fresh injection of hope that they can catch Aberdeen in the race for second place after their 3-0 victory at Pittodrie on Sunday, which cut the gap to nine points. Waghorn believes hard work and Caixinha's new methods have helped. Speaking ahead of Saturday's visit of Partick Thistle, he said: "It's been challenging in different ways but the boys have bought into it very well. The training methods, the style, how he wants to approach games, the analysis of other teams, has been different to what we are used to, but I've loved every minute of it. I have enjoyed the hard work and I think it has shown at the weekend how we defend as a team now as well as attacking as a team. We have changed a lot, little things that we have worked on the training pitch, but it's for the right reasons and hopefully it's good for a change going forward."
Partick manager Alan Archibald wants to round off a perfect week by watching his side get a result at Ibrox. The Firhill outfit created history last weekend when they clinched a place in the Premiership top six for the first time, and followed that up on Tuesday by announcing plans for a new £4million training base. Now Archibald wants to put the seal on those celebrations by leading the Jags to their first Govan win over Rangers since October 1981. Thistle are the only top-flight side still take points off Rangers this season but Archibald reckons today could be their big chance.
He said: "We've not taken anything off Rangers so far this season unfortunately. We gave them a good go at Firhill and should have taken at least a point but let ourselves down with a couple of mistakes towards the end. The players are all aware of that disappointment, it's still fresh in their memories. But we'll take that into the game and use it for motivation. If we could get something out of the match it would be a fitting end to a great week. We're expecting a real tough game on Saturday. They are coming off the back of a fantastic performance against Aberdeen. But we're full of confidence and going in on an eight-game unbeaten run in the league, so there's no better time for us to go to Ibrox."
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