MICHAEL BEALE reckons Rangers have shot down concerns over their fitness levels after two stunning comebacks to see off Hibernian and Aberdeen in recent days.
The Englishman saw his reign at Ibrox get off to a winning start as Rangers came from behind to secure a 3-2 win over Lee Johnston’s side last Thursday.
And the manner of the victory at Pittodrie was even more dramatic after Scott Arfield netted twice in injury time to make it two from two for Beale since he replaced Giovanni van Bronckhorst as boss.
Rangers were staring at a defeat when Duk and Leighton Clarkson cancelled out an early effort from Fashion Sakala but a remarkable finale saw the visitors show their fitness and character.
“Definitely,” Beale said when asked if it was a case of points over performances right now. “I think at Rangers, or any big club, it is always points over performances in the short term and then you have to bring the other bit.
“I am a perfectionist in that sense, I want my team to play a certain way, I want them to be clean on the eye, but the most important thing is to win.
“I thought we played, in patches, some nice stuff but we looked vulnerable defensively still. Listen, until we can get the centre halves back in the team and the back four how we want it to look, that is no slight against any of the individuals it is just as a collective.
“Previously when I was here it was something we prided ourselves on. It is great that we have scored six goals in two games, I am over the moon with the two wins and I don’t want to sound downbeat, I just know that we have got work to do.
“It would be wrong of me to sit here and be dishonest about that. I am delighted with the character of the team and delighted with the energy to keep going.
“We have looked stronger than Hibs late on, looked stronger tonight late on with our legs so question marks around fitness will hopefully go away.
“We have got no shortness of character and together, I think at times we look a bit anxious and there are going to be some questions about that.”
