Rangers B coach David McCallum singled out Josh McPake and Arron Lyall for a ‘brilliant’ moment of quality during Wednesday’s 3-0 hammering of Everton’s U21s in Glasgow.
On a day in which Mick Beale’s senior squad were made painfully aware of their own limitations with a 3-1 home defeat to Olympiakos at Ibrox, there were no such problems for McCallum’s kids when Everton came to town.
19-year-old Arron Lyall broke the visitor’s resistance with a sublime curling finish on the stroke of half-time, dovetailing excellently with Rangers team-mate Josh McPake in the build-up.
There were further strikes from Thompson Ishaka and Ross McCausland after the break too; McCallum hailing not only the result but the manner of the performance too.
Rangers B team hammers Everton reserves
“I’m pleased with how we performed,” McCallum tells the Rangers website.
“There were probably spells out of possession in the first half where the players were perhaps thinking they were spending too much time without the ball, and it was interesting to see our guys do that because they’re not used to it.
“It was important that we could manage being comfortable without the ball, but also when we could pressure and force errors that we did it well.
“We restricted a lot of opportunities for Everton in our penalty box, we were excellent in possession. We had a lot of good control, and the one part that we challenged the lads at half-time on was the game changing moments.
“Obviously, Arron does that right before half-time after a brilliant bit of combination play with Josh McPake, and then he puts the ball in the top corner. That gives the lads a little bit more belief in the second half that they can open up a tight compact unit.”
The kids are alright
16-year-old Zander Hutton also featured against Everton. As did 17-year-olds Paul Nsior and Zak Lovelace. And McCallum is thrilled to see some of Rangers’ more baby-faced youngsters hold their own alongside those more experienced.
“You have players such as Zander Hutton, Paul Nsio and Zak Lovelace who (were born in) 2006. While you have 2005s in there such as Jamie Newton, Kristian Webster and Greig Allen, who played the majority of the game,” McCallum points out.
“You have a wide age range, mixed with the talent who have been around the first-team. And it makes it more pleasing when you see them produce a team performance.
“I’m pleased with how the team functioned, but we always say to the players that within the team, you need to be individual. That was important today.”
