Kris Boyd slams Rangers players as Light Blues ‘let down the club’ in Aris Limassol defeat
Kris Boyd has slammed Rangers players following their Europa League defeat to Aris Limassol, saying the Light Blues squad “let down the club.”
The Gers put in a terrible performance in Cyprus in the first outing since Michael Beale was sacked on Sunday (1 October) and posed very little threat to Aris as they punished Rangers’ defensive mistakes to run out 2-1 winners.
Aris took the lead through Alex Moucketou-Moussounda’s header before Shavy Babicka doubled the lead with Abdallah Sima posing the Light Blues’ only attacking threat as he headed home a late consolation that ensured Steven Davis’ tenure in charge at Ibrox began with a defeat.
Speaking to Sky Sports following the match (5 October) Boyd fumed saying: “Michael Beale has already lost his job, Steven Davis has put out a team that again has let down the club. The performance level was nowhere near what is required if you’re going to be a Rangers player.
“Some really need to have a hard look at themselves. I’m just delighted I’m going to go and walk my dog because that will be more exciting than what I’ve just watched.”
More exciting dog walk
For the last few weeks, the Rangers players have been able to hide behind the failings of Beale as an excuse for the Light Blues’ dismal performances, with the former QPR manager coming in for a lot of criticism and deservedly so given the Gers’ terrible start to the campaign.
But now that he has departed Ibrox, it is time for the players to step up and show that they are worthy of wearing that famous light blue shirt and Thursday’s display showed very little to suggest any of that side are particularly driven to change their fortunes in Glasgow.
Barring Sima and Jack Butland, there wasn’t a good performance amongst the side, with several players wandering around the pitch in a manner that would genuinely leave most watching the game questioning if they were being paid by the Glasgow club.
Too many of Beale and the Gers’ summer signings don’t seem to have that drive to succeed that you need to be a success at Ibrox. The likes of Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers barely touched the ball during the match and when they did they never looked in control of possession.
This team were being touted as Champions League-ready by James Bisgrove at the start of the campaign and now they’re leaving Boyd more excited to walk his dog than watch them play. You genuinely have to wonder if it will matter who is in charge of this side if the players keep dishing up these sorts of performances, Pep Guardiola wouldn’t win any points at Ibrox.
In other Rangers news, according to reports new candidates could still emerge in the Light Blues’ search for a new manager