Fashion Sakala dazzles and frustrates BBC and BT pundits in Rangers win over St Mirren
Fashion Sakala showed what Rangers have been missing as he came back into the line-up vs St Mirren but was also branded “frustrating” by Alan Hutton.
With the underperforming Ryan Kent left out of the starting XI the 25-year-old came in for his first start of the campaign, and only his sixth outing in total across all competitions, as the Gers played out a relatively easy 4-0 victory at Ibrox.
Two more goals from Antonio Colak and a penalty from captain James Tavernier made things comfortable, before Sakala added a fourth in added time, after a performance where he grew into the game with a wonderful cross that Kent failed to gamble on midway through the second half before the late strike, to please both Mark Hateley and Hutton, despite feelings he could have added more.
After the cross Saturday afternoon it was put to Hateley that Sakala was enjoying himself who responded live on the BBC Radio Scotland commentary on Saturday afternoon (8 October, 4.32pm): “He is now. You can see the confidence coming back to him.
“A lovely little nutmeg there, and a first-time ball whipped across the face of the box there. Inviting for anybody coming onto it. It’s good to see.”
Hutton said live on BT Sport Score after the Zambian had added the fourth in injury time (4.48pm): “It was actually a really good finish for somebody who’s been quite frustrating to watch today, but he’s come up with two good moments within this game and he scores a goal.”
Good start
Sakala seems to get a bit of a rough ride considering he scored 12 times and added seven assists during his first season with the club despite being in and out of the side.
Kent is now coming under the microscope for delivering numbers comparable if not inferior despite the luxury of a far more regular run in the team, and the benefit of being settled for much longer in Glasgow.
With the likes of Rabbi Matondo, Malik Tillman and Tom Lawrence brought in over the summer, the Zambia international could have been excused for feeling hard done by, especially when so little game time has followed.
It is true that it is fairly common for him to have a quiet opening half before coming to life after the break, but he frequently provides renewed impetus in the second period at times when teammates are becoming ponderous.
Given the struggles of Kent in particular and Rangers overall in the last month it is a surprise that it has taken so long for him to be given a chance.
And while he wasn’t flawless at Ibrox on Saturday he offered a decent amount for a player who hasn’t been able to build up any rhythm yet, so has staked a reasonable claim to be given that opportunity.
In other Rangers news, the BT Sport studio were up in arms as Chris Sutton reacted to the Gers penalty against St Mirren.