Michael Beale hit his Rangers squad with a blunt message following the outcome of Sunday’s Viaplay Cup final defeat to Celtic.
The manager got it right by stating that those are the type of games that Rangers players and managers are judged on but unfortunately on this occasion, he presided over a failure in three key aspects.
Firstly, he didn’t get it right with team selection and tactics. Yes, there was some form of explanation but once the game is analysed and pored over, the shortcomings should be very clear. Next, his players left the pitch with regrets, they simply didn’t do enough. Too many didn’t influence the game with another performance being questioned but ultimately in a final, it is only the win that truly matters.
If the League Cup had been delivered back to Ibrox for a 28th time, selection ad performance would have paled into insignificance but instead, they became factors for the defeat.
Beale now has a considerable job to build the form once again. Yes, the league run remains unbeaten but Sunday’s defeat is the first serious blot on his copybook. A new winning run has to emerge with added significance on the Scottish Cup, given the unlikely prospect of managing a title race due to Celtic’s consistency.
The next few weeks will require a resolve and resilience from the players, with the manager revealing his direct message to them from the Hampden pitch as the Parkhead side prepared to go and lift the trophy as reported by the Rangers Review:
“Suck it up. It’s not nice but on the day we didn’t come to the game until the second half in my opinion. So no qualms that on the day we lost the game. It’s not nice but suck it up and take it on board.”
“You have to look at yourself in the mirror every day and that’s your biggest opponent. Are you being honest with that person? Are we working hard enough and is the work we are doing good enough? You’ve got to win all the other games but this when judgement day comes. We get it and we take it on. That was what we spoke about. I didn’t want anyone making any false opinions in their mind. We lost the game.”
For the supporters, they have had to stomach a few too many key defeats to Celtic in recent times with the losing record of some players in these defining games casting huge doubt. It’s more than that to be honest.
Beale can ask his players all the questions he wants but it’s answers that are required, quickly.
Without defending the players ,Beale sent them out into a final two men short, due to him picking two injured players . It would have been a hard enough game with a full team but to play missing two thirds of our midfield meant no cover for the defence and no supply for the forwards . Our rookie manager cost us the game every bit as much as the players.
As stated elsewhere William, the lack of intensity in the midfield killed us. Mooy’s movement wasnt picked up or matched causing the first goal and the second came from four or five players not doing enough.
I am 72 years old seen A lot of comings and goings at ibrox bu Micheal Beale is one of the most underhand appointments I’ve seen for that man to come and watch a game while a leg and Van Bronckhorst was manager who won Scottish cup and took them to euro final only to be stabbed in back by players and directors and of course Beale it’s a poor side just now I hope he get’s it right but still miles behind the other lot