Knee-jerk reactions are easy after a 4-0 Old Firm annihilation. And make no mistake, that’s what we witnessed at Parkhead yesterday. But for Rangers, this wasn’t just about losing to Celtic in a one-off league game.
The truth is, that’s a result that’s been coming for Giovanni van Bronckhorst ’s team. Last season, his players showed they can compete with Celtic. Even after the 3-0 battering they got in February, they responded, especially when they beat Celts in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.
The next three derby games were a draw and a win apiece. So don’t tell me this team suddenly are not good enough to go up against manager Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic team. That’s an over-reaction. Sweeping statements like that are wide of the mark. But so far this season? Rangers have been nowhere near the level they need to be at. I’ve been saying it for weeks.
And that’s why a result like yesterday was always on the cards. This has to serve as a major wake-up call to Rangers. On the day, they were miles off it – in every department.
Celtic blew them away in the first half – just like they did six months ago. In fact, they were even better yesterday.
And the big difference between the teams is the way Celtic penetrate the opposition. Their movement and runs off the ball are sensational.
Look at Jota ’s goal as the perfect example. Rangers don’t have that. When they get the ball in the final third, they’re STATIC.
They constantly rely on Ryan Kent to produce something which, if we’re honest, only happens now and again. He doesn’t do it anywhere near often enough.
But it’s unfair on Kent because every time he gets the ball, you see Rangers’ players thinking: ‘He’s going to do something for us’. That’s not right.
At the moment, Jota is a better player than Kent. There’s no getting away from it By the way, Liel Abada might now be better than Kent as well, in terms of his output for Celtic.
Technically, Kent might have more in his locker. But in terms of a hunger for goals and how direct and sharp he is in front of goal, Abada is proving he’s ahead of him.
Kent flirts on the edge of games and Rangers are too reliant on him. That’s where Celtic’s penetration sets them apart from Gers. Against inferior opposition, Rangers’ players will get away with that lack of movement at the top end of the pitch. But not when they step up a level against the champions.
And yesterday, they couldn’t do it. They were found wanting and it now leaves them five points behind in the Premiership.
This result was a huge statement from Celtic. Of course, Rangers can still respond. But a five-point gap after just six games? It doesn’t make for good reading.
Who will take points off Celtic in the league? I’m convinced they will stutter along the way, with 32 games left. But going into each individual game right now, it’s difficult to see what where because they’re flying just now.
Looking at the squads yesterday, I have to say I’m surprised Rangers didn’t sign anyone else before the window closed last week. They’ve effectively gone through the whole month of August without signing a player.
Towards the end of yesterday’s game, none of the new players they’ve brought in this summer were on the pitch. And the three new defenders in the Rangers team are the ones that concern me most.
After losing Calvin Bassey and Leon Balogun, it was an area that had to be addressed. Connor Goldson needs a partner who’s going to be beside him every week.
But the club has spent almost £10million on the left side of their back four. We’ve barely seen any sign of Ben Davies or Ridvan Yilmaz so far. John Souttar is also injured so no-one has filled the void left by Bassey and Balogun.
We’ve been left in the dark as to how long Souttar and Davies will be out for. Are those two going to be capable of partnering Goldson and leading Rangers to league titles and cups?
That’s all that matters. But there are huge question marks over that right now. In attack, the club will feel they have two players for every position.
They signed Rabbi Matondo for money this summer – but he didn’t make the bench yesterday. They obviously feel what they have is good enough. But on yesterday’s evidence, it’s not. In both boxes, Celtic were better. They defended well and when Jota and Abada picked up the ball, you felt something was going to give.
Rangers just aren’t the same attacking force. The numbers don’t match up. But as I’ve said, this has been the case since the season started. It’s been coming.
Rangers have to produce more, all over the pitch. So far, they’ve been papering over the cracks. And yesterday, Celtic highlighted all of those deficiencies.
READ NEXT
