Rangers last night parted ways with manager Michael Beale following a string of poor results both domestically and in Europe.
The 43-year-old was relieved of his duties as Rangers boss late on Sunday evening following a dismal start to the season.
Three defeats in seven Premiership matches left them third in the league – behind St Mirren – and seven points adrift of city rivals Celtic before the axe fell on the Englishman.
A 7-3 aggregate defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League play-off round in August also helped heighten the pressure on Beale, whose summer rebuild has been widely criticised with a raft of new signings failing to have the desired impact.
Here we take a look at Beale’s summer signings to determine whether they have improved Rangers or not after a number of players left the club in the summer.
Jack Butland vs Allan McGregor
This one is easy. Jack Butland has easily been the signing of the summer for Rangers. He has been the top performer for the club this season and his performances have eclipsed those of Allan McGregor and Jon McLaughlin last term. The worrying thing for Rangers is just how busy the Englishman has been so far this season.
Dujon Sterling vs Filip Helander
This is a more difficult one. At full fitness, Filip Helander was definitely a huge asset to any Rangers team. His defensive strengths were impressive, but he also had the ability to play out from the back and was a key performer during Steven Gerrard’s tenure. Helander departed the club this summer after a string of injuries and was replaced by former Chelsea youth Dujon Sterling. He has hardly featured for Rangers this term, mainly due to an injury picked up in pre-season. This meant Sterling was behind the pace from the start of his Rangers career.
Sam Lammers vs Scott Arfield
Sam Lammers has shown sparks during his Rangers career so far, but he has failed to produce the numbers in terms of goals and assists. He has only scored and assisted once in 14 games for his new club since joining in the summer. In comparison Scott Arfield, who was released and subsequently moved to the MLS, regularly chipped in with key goals and assists whenever he was thrust into action. There was a feeling you could always count on Arfield to provide Rangers with a spark, even if it was from the bench - he has been missed this season.
Kieran Dowell vs Glen Kamara
Kieran Dowell is another who has hardly featured for Rangers since arriving this summer due to injuries. He did however feature against Kilmarnock on the opening day of the season and he was far from impressive during that nightmare 90 minutes. Glen Kamara left Rangers for Leeds United in the summer and was widely overlooked by Beale when he took over as manager. Dowell’s arrival certainly has been no step compared to Kamara’s qualities.
Abdallah Sima vs Fashion Sakala
Abdallah Sima is currently Rangers’ top goal scorer this season with five goals in all competitions. His pace and presence in the final third has been patchy though, and he has failed to live up to the expectation that surrounded his name when he joined the club on loan from Premier League outfit Brighton. Sima is a similar build to Fashion Sakala who left the club for Saudi in the summer, but the Zambian without a doubt offered more in the final third. His versatility to play across the front line was also a useful tool to have in the Rangers squad.
Danilo vs Ryan Kent
Another new signing and another injury to discuss. Danilo was brought in for mega money from Feyenoord but he has failed to live up to expectations. The Brazilian is currently out with a fractured cheekbone after scoring against St Johnstone. He looked bright in that game, but three goals in ten appearances has hardly been the start he would have wanted. In comparison, Ryan Kent left the club in the summer as he hooked up with Fenerbahce. Kent was totally out of form at the tail-end of last season, but Rangers fans know what he is capable of. He is another one who the club have missed this term.
Cyriel Dessers vs Alfredo Morelos
It is hard to believe that Cyriel Dessers was once a top scorer in the Eredivisie given his performances this term. The striker is totally out of form and is lacking any form of confidence in front of goal. It is hard to see where he goes from here after being booed off the pitch by his own support against Aberdeen at the weekend. Alfredo Morelos departed Rangers after a six-year stint in the summer and again he was another who was totally out of form at the end of last season. Rangers fans know what the Colombian was capable of at the top of his game though, and they have missed that kind of form in the final third this campaign.
