'Disjointed and vulnerable' - Michael Beale admits Rangers form concerns ahead of Celtic clash despite 3-0 win over Motherwell

Rangers manager Michael Beale found little to recommend in his team’s performance against Motherwell, despite the 3-0 winning scoreline at Ibrox.

Rangers manager Michael Beale with striker Alfredo Morelos, who went off injured during the 3-0 win over Motherwell. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

Exhibiting admirable candour, he framed the display in the negative aside from the fact it was “another three points and a clean sheet. “That’s it,” he said pointedly of a fourth straight win of his tenure he patently considers does not disguise shortcomings that could be exposed by champions Celtic in next Monday’s new year derby. A game that Rangers going into with an injury concern over Alfredo Morelos, forced off midway through the second period having given his team an early lead.

“We were disjointed again, It wasn’t free-flowing, I won’t sit here and pull the wool over anyone’s eyes. It wasn’t what I wanted it to be,” Beale said. “If you had said to me we would take 12 points from these four games, with a couple of clean sheets leading into the next game, I would have taken it. I would have liked us to be playing with a bit more rhythm. But it’s another three points and a clean sheet with Ben [Davies] and Connor [Goldson] on the pitch.

“We need to find some rhythm quickly or we need to be much better out of possession. Because we are giving away the passes unopposed. That is a concern because it’s leaving us vulnerable. It’s not something I expected so it’s an area I have to work on in the next three or four days. January is a huge month, there’s a derby, a cup semi-final, a big cup game away, and we know we need to improve. Right now I would take results over performances but I know, over time, that we have to play better. The fans want to be excited and entertained.

“We are not playing to our potential and it is on me to improve that. We needed to win the four games and we have won them. It is not perfect but if it was perfect I wouldn’t be sitting here. It is clear we have work to do and it is important I am honest with them. As a group we are not where I want to be right now. Four wins on the bounce is good for any team so you would think we are moving forward.

“My honesty might sting but I am trying to push towards the standards they have set themselves previously. The team I left [last November] had lost one in 52 in the league and they have lost one in 48 at home. But, we want to play with more swagger, with more style and more control. This is a team who were capable of beating Leipzig and Dortmund six months ago so it is in them.”

Doubts over Morelos could bring Antonio Colak and Kemar Roofe into the equation for the derby. Neither of the pair have had any minutes in recent months, but Beale suggested it might be a case of needs must in terms of how he fills his bench.

“We had a bit of a red flag with Alfredo after the Aberdeen game [last Tursday]. He was due to come off just as we scored the third goal, because he felt some tightness in his hamstring. So obviously he missed starting the Ross County game [on Friday]. He only came on for the last 30 minutes, and felt fine, so we started him tonight.

“I believe it’s tightness. So I hope he’s come off at the right time before it’s anything bigger. He’s had to go to the well because we’ve had very limited options there with Kemar and Antonio out. They’re both fit to go. They’re physically fit, in terms of training. But whether they’ve got 90 minutes in them at this moment in time, you would probably say no. So it’s good to have them back. If Alfredo is not ready, they will share the minutes and play. I think it’s important that they are back for us. But it was nice to see Alfredo score.”