Michael Beale has Kyogo ‘nightmares’ at Rangers as ‘splurged’ transfer haul flops against Celtic – BBC Sport’s Tom English
Michael Beale will be having “nightmares” about Kyogo Furuhashi having “splurged” on a Rangers attack that hasn’t delivered, according to Tom English.
The BBC writer reacted to the 1-0 Celtic win at Ibrox on Sunday (3 September) on the broadcaster’s website to suggest that the Japanese match-winner is the man that the Gers boss would love to have after deciding a fourth Old Firm in his time in charge at Ibrox.
English dismissed the expensive nature of Beale’s summer overhaul in attack, with the arrivals of Cyriel Dessers, who started the derby, and Sam Lammers, Danilo and Abdallah Sima, who didn’t, adjudged to have not paid off.
English wrote: “For the fourth time this year in Old Firm games, the man who came up with the most decisive moment was Kyogo. Michael Beale, the Rangers manager, will have nightmares about him.
“In a frenetic, error-strewn derby that was madcap in its intensity but lacking much in the way of calmness and cohesion, the Japanese stood apart in an attacking sense…
“What Rangers would give for a player like him. They’ve splurged on all sorts of attacking options in the summer, they’ve forked out relative fortunes in fees and salaries on myriad strikers and wingers and none of them have delivered so far.
“Sam Lammers and Danilo started on the bench along with two other new arrivals, Jose Cifuentes and Abdallah Sima. When Lammers and Danilo came on in a forlorn pursuit of a point, they had chances they didn’t take.”
Unfortunate truth
It will be hard for the Rangers boss to stomach but it is no doubt pretty accurate since Beale put great effort into securing the attacking quartet this summer.
So far, despite all having found the net already and showing certain flashes, it’s difficult to say they have been an upgrade on the departed figures of Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Antonio Colak and Fashion Sakala.
That Kemar Roofe and Rabbi Matondo started against Celtic was a tacit admission by Beale that things haven’t gone to plan yet.
But he would have hoped that his side would have learned its lesson by now not to constantly allow Kyogo the opportunity to decide matters, when he has shown the decisiveness the Light Blues men haven’t.
Time and time again since the manager took over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst his defenders have committed errors that have allowed the Hoops forward to punish them.
Yes, there was misfortune on Sunday as there has been before, but while the cast has changed a lot since last season the story was all too familiar.
Changing virtually the entire attacking force was always going to be a big ask and likely to take time, but after last season finished empty handed Beale doesn’t have time, so the latest defeat has done him plenty of damage.
In other Rangers news, BBC pundit blasts “dobber” as footage of Gers ace harassment emerges.