Rangers fans were given a chastening dose of reality at Aberdeen, as once again the very thing Ibrox Noise whines about constantly, goals, just weren’t there.
The game of football is won and lost on goals. Not chances, not shots, not saves, not VAR calls either Michael – but goals. Pure, simple, goals.
Overall it makes no difference ‘who the best team is’ – ask the late Tommy Burns whose excellent Celtic just couldn’t touch Rangers, despite maybe playing better football.
And that’s what’s happening today – a Rangers team that plays some decent stuff, yes, but lacks two things that Walter’s mighty Rangers had back in the day:
A defence, and killer instinct.
Rangers today do not have a defence, simply put, there is no understanding between the admittedly solid John Souttar (he’s done well since coming in) and the weak and feeble Ben Davies, whose defensive shortfalls are costing Rangers more and more (along with Borna and Tav’s).
In midfield it’s a bit better – Raskin and Cantwell still doing a decent job in there, but up front?
Morelos garbage, Sakala effort but garbage, and Tillman, no effort and just doesn’t care.
Rangers have fallen desperately short this season, and no amount of pathetic VAR whining by Michael Beale turns losers into winners.
Because this Rangers team has become a bunch of losers. What’s the use of beating Hearts and St Mirren when you can’t beat Aberdeen for a must-win match? When Celtic gift-wrap you a potential gap closing and you still lose?
Oh, and it’s not all on the players – Michael Beale has failed miserably since January. He screwed up v Celtic last year with those dire subs, but this calendar year we’re seeing poor performances and ‘get out of jail’ wins – but not against Celtic and now not against Aberdeen. A lot of this is on him.
Ibrox Noise warned this would be a big game, a tough game, and still, again, Beale is a big part of why it didn’t work for the visitors.
The players and the manager are all falling badly short. Beale has a little bit of goodwill to build his own team this summer, but if he’s not interested in defence and doesn’t sign a serious front line, at the very least, nothing will change.
Semi-final? We daren’t even contemplate it right now.