Rangers midfield is missing a few options just now with only Jose Cifuentes, probably, considered a first choice with Ryan Jack dropping down the pecking order recently.
The Scotland international is a handy home-grown option for UEFA quotas, however, his form is far from the consistency he showed in our title winning season.
Rangers manager Michael Beale through down the gauntlet via Rangers TV to the 31-year old before the tie with Livingston but Ryan Jack just isn’t what the side needs.
Rangers need more from Ryan Jack to keep place
In a system where the Gers gaffer is wanting more pace and dynamism from midfield, Jack is far from fitting either off these descriptions and against Livingston, it showed again.
Before kick-off, Beale explained to Rangers TV a few of his decisions and on the inclusion of Ryan Jack, he said:
“Ryan Jack has been patient on the sideline waiting for his opportunity and tonight is a chance to really push and stake his claim.”
When you think about Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell, you think energy and aggression in that they both, automatically, look to attack.
Ryan Jack doesn’t, not naturally anyway – despite the quality of his goal against Livingston.
He takes too many touches, doesn’t play enough passes in behind defences and refuses to play an obvious attack building ball if it is on his left foot.
A Rangers midfielder shouldn’t be so one dimensional.
There are a lot of injuries and Tom Lawrence is also a big miss but there was no need to have John Lundstram and Jack together.
It would have been the perfect opportunity to give Bailey Rice a game and look to the future.
Loyalty can blinker some managers, hopefully, Michael Beale can see past his.
