Rangers’ summer transfer business is under the microscope as Michael Beale confirms Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo are players five and six to be ruled out with injuries.
With the Welsh duo joining Belgian absentee Nicolas Raskin, Brazilian striker Danilo and ex-Norwich pair Kieran Dowell & Todd Cantwell, the club’s run of injuries is heaping the pressure on the Ibrox boss.
Whilst Michael Beale has managed to navigate the three matches since the international break with three wins, the club’s stuttering performances are doing little to satiate a frustrated crowd.
Rangers are now set to hobble to the next international break in mid-October with a club now without Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo needing to keep their challenge alive on three fronts in the meantime.
Next up for the Gers is the Scottish League Cup quarter-final visit of Livingston and with Ibrox’s toxicity rising by the misplaced pass Michael Beale’s charges would do well to find a performance.
But should Rangers fail to make a Hampden semi-final, or fall further behind in the title race, then you suspect Michael Beale’s situation might become untenable.
Rangers injuries show up summer of discontent
Injuries are certainly not helping the Rangers manager with all six of the names ruled out considered important members of the club’s squad.
But given those who’re being drafted in to cover them – with youth players even mooted as potential options – the situation shows up a stuttering summer of transfer investment.
Rangers brought in nine players in the summer and despite Michael Beale’s suggestions the club broke even, Chris Jack has claimed that including agent fees and the like that transfer expenditure is sitting around £6m.
Having lost several of the club’s goal scorers – Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Fashion Sakala, Antonio Colak and Malik Tillman all leaving – there’s a growing sentiment that those signed to replace them aren’t good enough.
The onus is now on the likes of Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Jose Cifuentes to stand up and be counted but as things stand there remains major doubts over their ability to do so.
Time will tell if this latest squad of Ibrox charges will be able to handle the pressures of Rangers but so far injuries are showing up gaps in the squad which haven’t been plugged despite the investment.
