MICHAEL BEALE counts them all out and counts them all back in again. Right now, it is all about the numbers for the Rangers boss.
Beale has seen his ranks increase by two in recent days after Ben Davies and Connor Goldson returned to action in the Premiership wins over Hibernian and Aberdeen respectively. It has been a start, a small step in the right direction.
But there is as much focus on the treatment room as there is the dressing room as Rangers prepare for their fixtures with Ross County and Motherwell and attempt to build up a head of steam before the defining Old Firm clash on January 2.
The situations regarding the long-term absentees such as Filip Helander, John Souttar and Ridvan Yilmaz have been known for some time. In the coming weeks, Kemar Roofe and Tom Lawrence will be available once again, while Ianis Hagi will step up his recovery from the cruciate knee ligament injury he suffered almost twelve months ago.
Antonio Colak is pencilled in to return against Motherwell after a calf complaint and Borna Barisic will also make an appearance against the Steelmen following his participation in the World Cup with Croatia and a range of commitments in his homeland, as well as spending time with his pregnant fiancee.
That list of absences and issues, which also includes Steven Davis, would be enough to cause any manager sleepless nights. But those are just the ones that supporters were aware of before the events at Pittodrie that saw Rangers come from behind to win for the second time in as many games.
Captain James Tavernier made the journey north on his own in an attempt to prevent the virus that has swept through various squads in the country spreading further within Beale's ranks. John Lundstram took an injection to be fit to make the bench, Alfredo Morelos is playing through his own pain barrier and Glen Kamara should have undergone surgery earlier in the term.
"I get it," Beale said. "It is just the reality of the situation.
"It is quite unique and I never knew it in the time I was here before. That is why the mentality of the players I would never question.
"Certainly in the last week when people have gone and played and we have come back from 2-1 behind. Nobody means to go 2-1 behind, it is not like we are challenging ourselves to show that we can come back.
"Players are going out there and I have got to protect them a bit as well because it is me that is selecting them. They want to go and play but I need to protect them because it is a fierce public that we have in Glasgow. I know that.
"But once we get out on the pitch, all of those excuses are out the way. We either play well and win or don’t play well and don’t get the result.
"All of those excuses are removed. But there are players going out there that, if we had more players available, maybe wouldn’t."
The comments and criticisms directed towards Rangers following their get out of jail win over Aberdeen were fair given the standards expected and the performance produced. Context has now been provided, however, and the win was savoured as Beale stated 'they don’t like us up there' with a smile.
Goldson will be asked to go again after coming through the Dons fixture unscathed and Beale revealed on Thursday that he will make five changes to his starting line-up. Given the effusive way in which he spoke about Scott Arfield, it seems certain that the hero from Tuesday night will get the nod in Dingwall.
"He’s one of the players who is an extension of me," Beale said. "He gets it. He understands it. He understands the importance of the moment.
"That’s why I’ve got so much time for Scott Arfield. He’s a rule-breaker, sometimes in a good way, sometimes in not such a good way. He gambles. He’s optimistic."
Beale cited a lack of confidence within the group as a potential problem as he insisted that commitment to the cause certainly wasn't an accusation that could be thrown towards a group that are far from full strength and have yet to hit their levels individually or collectively on a consistent basis this season.
Every body that leaves the treatment room is a boost for Beale right now and his attacking line will look considerably different in time. The middle of the park is an issue in itself, though.
"With the forward positions, even in 6-7 days’ time, if Kemar Roofe and Antonio come back for Motherwell, all of a sudden that looks like everybody is in a reasonably good place," Beale said. "And we know we’ve got Tom and Ianis coming back in the coming weeks.
"The midfield area and the defensive area probably needs to clear up in terms of people being fit and healthy and being available consistently.
"It’s important that you can pick players in that team. Any team in the world has players that play 95 per cent of the time. Here, with someone like Connor Goldson, we’ve been robbed of that.
"In that position, centre midfield, we need some mainstays. Either I find them in the squad or we find them in the market."
The conversations over potential additions to the squad will continue in the coming weeks as Ross Wilson oversees the scouting team, headed by John Park, that has been tasked with sourcing players that fit the Beale methodology rather than the Van Bronckhorst blueprint.
Rangers have a handful of first team stars out of contract next summer and the future remains uncertain for another batch. Whatever the individual situations, those who wish to remain at Ibrox will have to do their talking where it matters.
“Yeah," Beale said when asked if he had told his players straight that they would need to earn their futures on the pitch. "If you said to me would you like a player six years in contract or six months, I’d prefer the six-month one.
“They tend not to be injured. They tend to be really focused and they tend to be at the best of their abilities.
“When a player has something to prove, I like the players in that moment.
“A change of manager means the conversations that were maybe on the table are different now.
“As a new manager coming in, I’ve got to prove my worth and there’s a few players who have got to prove something."
Some must show more than others if they are to convince their manager that they deserve to be on the books and part of Beale's squad. Everyone, the boss included, remains under the watchful eye of an expectant support.
Beale sets his own high standards and he was straight talking in the aftermath of Tuesday night. He has continued one as the 'miserable one' in the staff since his return but will make no apologies for driving the demands on a daily basis.
"I’ve got to cut them some slack because I’m probably looking for something in my own mind that we’re maybe not able to give right now," Beale said. "But as long as we keep heading in the right direction.
"If you add the Leverkusen game, it’s nine goals in three games so going forward there have been a lot of good things. We could be a bit more ruthless.
"Defensively, two things: one thing is a little bit more cohesion. And secondly, when you have centre-backs on the pitch, like we did in the last 20 minutes the other night, the domination came after that.
"Yes, Aberdeen sat back in, but if I’m looking at my side, we looked much more comfortable when we had Ben and Connor. And that’s natural because of the money we paid for them. They’re experienced and it’s their natural position."
