Rangers were beaten by Celtic once again on Sunday afternoon, leaving Michael Beale with much to think about.
Jota’s first-half header was enough to give Celtic a narrow 1-0 win and secure a place in the Scottish Cup final.
Beale is still waiting for his first win over Celtic as Rangers manager.
Until he can get the better of the Bhoys, many Rangers fans question whether Beale is really the right man to take the club forward.
Beale does need time and transfer windows to change this Rangers side but he also needs to sort a problem that keeps coming up again and again.
Rangers have to stop switching off.
Jota’s winning goal came from not one but two moments where Rangers completely stopped playing.
Firstly, Matt O’Riley was brought down and Rangers players seemed to stop and have a whinge about the decision.
Callum McGregor wasn’t waiting around and got Celtic on the attack quickly, restarting the game with numerous Rangers players not paying full attention.
O’Riley drove at Nicolas Raskin and went down, leading to Raskin, Borna Barisic and John Lundstram all stopping, waiting for a whistle.
No free kick was given and only Celtic were alive to the situation as Daizen Maeda swooped in, crossing for Jota to score.
It wasn’t just one player or one moment in the build-up to the only goal, it was multiple players on two occasions.
This isn’t even the first time either.
Go back to Rangers’ 4-0 defeat at Celtic in September and you will see more of the same.
Rangers players switch off from an early throw-in, don’t pay attention and Liel Abada scores to make it 1-0.
On the half hour mark, it’s the same again. Celtic have a free kick in an innocuous position but Rangers players are walking around with absolutely no urgency.
Celtic take a quick free kick and within seconds Jota is making it 2-0 and it’s an uphill battle from there.
That was under Giovanni van Bronckhorst and we have now seen the same again under Beale.
This just cannot keep happening.
Ange Postecoglou pushes quick restarts and despite being caught out again and again, Rangers still aren’t learning their lesson.
Even other goals this season – think of Jon McLaughlin passing the ball straight to David Turnbull, Alfredo Morelos giving the ball to Daizen Maeda, John Souttar’s misplaced backpass.
Rangers just keep shooting themselves in the foot against Celtic and that’s why the Gers have yet to win a derby game this season.
Yes, Beale needs to bring in his own players. Yes, the deadwood needs to go and some of the title-winning side from 2021 should be moved on.
Yet if Rangers continue to switch off and gift Celtic these cheap goals in big games, closing the gap will be an impossible task.
