Peter Grant baffled by Michael Beale decision on Todd Cantwell at Rangers
Michael Beale must put Todd Cantwell in his preferred position at Rangers and not play him on the right, according to Peter Grant.
Speaking on Go Radio (19 September), the former Celtic midfielder suggested that Beale has an issue with correctly positioning his players this season, noting that many Rangers signings operate in similar areas of the pitch.
With Cantwell specifically, Grant urged Beale to refrain from playing the Englishman on the right-hand side of the pitch, noting how much more effective he could be on the left or as a number 10.
Grant said: “They’re all in the same area of the pitch. That’s what I felt from the start of the season. It didn’t matter how many players Rangers signed they all seemed to be in the same position.
“It’s very difficult. For me, you look at players and where their best position is. If I’m looking at Todd Cantwell, he plays on the left of a front three or as a 10.
“I’ve watched him for 10/15 years and they’re the two positions he plays at his best. When he plays on the right he can’t go on the outside but when he comes from the left he can play a slide rule pass.”
Best needed
Beale can’t afford to hold back one of his squad’s most talented players. Cantwell thrives in the middle of the park, or out on the left flank and has proven his ability to influence games in these positions.
So far this season, Cantwell has been deployed as a right-wide player. Per SofaScore, his heatmap against Celtic showed Cantwell held possession mostly on the right wing, but failed to penetrate the defence and struggled to get touches in their box.
In their Champions League defeat to PSV, Cantwell was deployed in the number 10 position but was forced back into his own half and struggled to have an influence centrally.
Whatever Beale has tried with Cantwell this season hasn’t worked, but he has not been afforded the chance to start on the left-hand side this season.
Beale can put this issue aside for now considering Cantwell’s latest injury setback, having picked up a knock late in the Old Firm defeat, but should consider rejigging his position upon his return.
In other Rangers news, a BBC pundit was impressed by a Rangers ace after his Man of the Match display against St Johnstone.