Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell was in the stands for Rangers’ Europa League victory over Real Betis and was left toasting a ‘really impressive result’ for Mick Beale’s men.
Ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Premiership meeting between Rangers and a Motherwell team sitting one point and one place ahead of them in the table, Kettlewell could not help but fawn over the ‘options’ available to his opposite number.
Rangers were without Todd Cantwell, Nicolas Raskin and Danilo against Real Betis. But Beale still had the luxury of turning to Jose Cifuentes, Tom Lawrence and Kemar Roofe, while Abdallah Sima scored the only goal of the game on just his fourth start for the Glasgow giants.
Rangers now face Motherwell
“The amount of options that Rangers have got…” Kettlewell says at his pre-match press conference, speaking to PLZ Soccer after making the trip up to Ibrox on a typically feverish European night under the lights.
“I was there last night. A really impressive result. I think Rangers will probably acknowledge it took them a bit of time to get going in the game but, once they did, I think they were thoroughly deserving of the victory against a top side, a very, very good team.
“So we have to brace ourselves for that, and make sure we go and have a really good defensive organisation.”
Strength of Beale’s squad a major plus
Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini may have felt that the result did not reflect the nature of proceedings – singling out another ‘very good’ display from a goalkeeper in Jack Butland who was once again in a ‘thou shalt not pass’ sort of mood – but Rangers created more than enough opportunities of their own on the night, Roofe wreaking havoc while dropping deep and allowing the electrifying Rabbi Matondo to make those neck-breaking runs into the penalty area.
Even if Beale opts to rest Roofe against Motherwell, the Gers boss could still bring in a £4 million summer signing in Cyriel Dessers. Sam Lammers, impressive off the bench against Betis, may also be parachuted in if Lawrence joins Cantwell on the sidelines.
