It was quite a busy summer for Rangers manager Michael Beale and we saw a few names faces arrive, and some very familiar face depart Ibrox for pastures new, and it is fair to say that with an element of inconsistency to our play, the start to the 2023/24 campaign has been quite a poor one.
Five games into the Scottish Premiership year we are in fourth place, four points shy of top spot with three wins and two defeat, and with us also losing our Champions League place for the year following the second leg heavy defeat to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, it is fair to say that pressure was beginning to mount – and would have undoubtedly got worse had Rangers further slipped up in our Europa League Group C opener.
Those in the wider world of football probably had bets on us doing just that as we faced off against a far more expensively assembled side in Real Betis, and football betting markets would have had plenty of odds available on it happening for those that wanted to have a flutter, and we had to dig deep in fairness, but we did just that and despite having slightly less possession across the 90 minutes, we created far more chances than they did and we managed to make one of them count, to take a narrow 1-0 win as Abdallah Sima made his 67th minute effort count, however much of a goal mouth scramble it may have been.
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We did need goalkeeper Jack Butland to be in good form at the other end, but the margin of victory on another day would have been greater as both Tom Lawrence and Borna Barisic hit the woodwork. Despite the tough nature of the game, it has to go down as a deserved victory over all, and it should certainly lift the tensions that have been growing and give a proper solid foundation that we can now build on for the rest of the season to really enjoy ourselves in the months that are left – and who know what we might then come out with.
“First half, we had big moments. We didn’t show enough belief with the ball. We spoke about that at half time. That’s something that is reoccurring. Second half, we were much better everywhere. The goal typified the passion. For everyone us, its a goal off a set-play. For us, it’s four contacts. In tight games, those are things we need to do more often. For this group, we’ve had a few bangs on the head. We’ve heard it loud and clear from the outside. Nothing’s done. It’s just one performance. There was lots I’m happy with, but lots to improve on.”
I imagine fans will be pleased to hear him criticise elements of the performance, despite it being a massive victory from our point of view right now.
