Rangers: Tom English raves about Todd Cantwell for BBC Sport after Celtic defeat amid ‘good news’ for Michael Beale
Todd Cantwell was “excellent” for Rangers in the Old Firm derby win over Celtic and the “best player on the park”, according to Tom English for BBC Sport.
The January signing had only this week been accused of producing nothing when it matters against the Hoops despite impressing against other sides in Scotland, but he put that to bed in no uncertain terms in the 3-0 victory at Ibrox.
After smashing the early opener through Joe Hart’s legs he proved to be the Rangers talisman as they finally recorded an Old Firm win this season, and English suggested his emergence could be crucial for Michael Beale going forward.
In his BBC Sport match report English wrote: “Todd Cantwell sent Rangers on their way, thrashing in a shot from close range when Hart parried an effort from John Lundstram. In previous Old Firms, Rangers men in that kind of position might have ballooned it over the bar. Cantwell drove it straight and true, as emphatic as you please.
“Cantwell was excellent. Creatively, defensively, work-rate, all-round influence – he was the best player on the park. He scored one and might have scored another.
“At one point he gesticulated to the crowd to up their noise, which they duly did. It was all a bit much for [Ange] Postecoglou’s side.”
After a run down of his sparkling early promise at Norwich before the relationship turned sour and the 25-year-old left for Ibrox, English added: “If Cantwell can find this kind of consistency during the hard months of next season when the league is alive rather than dead in the water then he has to have a role to play.
“If he’s got his mojo back then that’s good news for Beale as he embarks on revamping his squad in the summer.”
Over the hump
It isn’t hard for Celtic and their supporters to point at the fact they got four derby wins and, likely, three trophies out of this season, but a win over your rivals is never worthless.
Getting the victory was key to break through that psychological barrier and confine it to a campaign that was as good as dead by the World Cup break, ready to embark on the real challenge after the summer without having any lingering doubts.
To win convincingly in the May sunshine would be far more enjoyable if there was a title still on the line, but all the same it should help for when it is cold and dark again next season.
As English documented, Cantwell’s quality should be no surprise given he was linked to a £30million move during his Premier League days, when he scoring against the billionaire-backed behemoths south of the border.
So if, freed from whatever the issues were at his hometown club, he can recapture that level of performance in Glasgow then Beale will have a proper danger man in his side.
The manager was clear about who he wanted and went and made the former Norwich man his first signing as boss.
And while it has come to late to rescue a flagging campaign, there are signs that he may have struck gold as he looks to put the Ges back on top in Scotland.
In other Rangers news, Chris Sutton got in a squabble with a Light Blues fan live on BBC Radio, prompting Robbie Savage to cut in and apologise for his attitude.