Rangers kicked off the Michael Beale era as they handed their new boss a comfortable 3-0 friendly victory over Bayer Leverkusen on his first match in charge.
The Light Blues remain a long way off the title fight with Celtic but there were encouraging signs for the new gaffer as his side swept past Xabi Alonso’s team. Malik Tillman did the damage in the first half with a well-taken double. Captain James Tavernier missed a late penalty but there was one last cheer for Beale’s team as Scott Arfield wrapped up the win five minutes from time.
The 20,000 or so fans who braved the Baltic conditions turned out looking for a first glimpse at how Beale ball is going to shape up ahead of Thursday, when Beale’s new methods will be put to the test in competitive action against Hibernian. Glen Kamara and Rabbi Matondo were given chances to impress having failed to nail down regular slots under the previous regime, while kid defender Adam Devine was in at left-back.
Leverkusen brought with them five of the squad that featured when they dumped Rangers out of the Europa League last 16 in their first game back after the Covid lockdown of 2020. But this time it was Gers firmly in control as they set about impressing their new gaffer.
Lining up in 4-2-3-1 formation with Ryan Kent, Tillman and Matondo rotating in a fluid three-man support cast to striker Antonio Colak, there was little sign of the malaise that has hung over the team in recent months. They did have an early score when Jonathan Tah wriggled clear at a corner to aim a header which McGregor did well to claw out.
But showing the kind of energy levels they badly lacked during the final days of the van Bronckhorst era, Rangers grabbed a confidence-boosting opener 15 minutes. Tavernier picked out Tillman bursting into the box, with the 20 years smashing home an assured first-time finish.
The Bayern Munich loanee looked like he was enjoying his reunion with the Bundesliga outfit, coming close to a second soon after as his fiercely-hit drive fizzed just wide after taking a deflection. But the American international wasn’t to be denied as he netted again on 21 minutes, leaping high at the front post to plant a film header past Lukas Hrdacky from Tavernier’s corner.
Matondo hasn’t exactly wowed the Ibrox faithful since his summer switch from Schalke. And he wasted a golden chance to make an impression on Beale as he drove down on the Leverkusen back line only to skewe his shot wide.
Gers went in two-up at the break but only after a let-off when Amine Adli found space after raising into the box before firing into Allan McGregor’s side-netting. Beale made some sweeping changes at the interval, with only the back four retaining their places.
The alterations didn’t slow Gers down and only a brave block from Hrdacky prevented the hosts extending their lead as Alfredo Morelos slotted in Scott Arfield, who took too long getting the ball out his feet as the keeper closed in. Fashion Sakala was among the half-time new comers but his run-out lasted just 25 minutes as the substitute was hooked.
On came Alex Lowry who immediately came close as he swept wide after Alfredo Morelos had pulled the ball back to the edge of the box. Leverkusen snatched a lifeline as Noah Pesch found himself one on one with Jon McLaughlin but a block by Rangers back-up keeper and an incredible follow-up clearance on the line from Tavernier left the Rhineland side frustrated.
That drew a cheer for the skipper but there were groans with nine minutes left as Tavernier blew the chance to add a third, sweeping his spot-kick against the base of the Hrdacky’s left-hand upright after Morelos had been barged over in the box by Mitchel Bakker.
But Beale was able to celebrate a comprehensive victory on his dugout debut as Arfield wrapped up the win with five minutes left. Morelos had looked keen to work his way into Beale’s good books after his difficulties with van Bronckhorst and it was the Colombian’s clever hold-up play that opened up the path to goal as Arfield arrived at the right time to sweep home.
Is Beale the real deal?
There’s a big job for the new Rangers boss to do at Ibrox but on first viewing he’s made a quick impression on his new charges. Of course friendlies are never a perfect gauge of how a team will fare once the competitive action gets going but this was a more than useful exercise for the former QPR boss as he got to see his team in action for the first time.
Certainly there was a quicker tempo about Gers and a clearer sense of what they were trying to do in possession compared to the lost displays that marked the final weeks of the Gio van Bronckhorst era.
There was a tweak to the formation used by his predecessor as they lined up with three attacking midfielders behind the central striker. In the first half it was Ryan Kent, Malik Tillman and Rabbi Matondo backing up Antonio Colak.
The Croatian wasn’t a major contributor to proceedings but there was encouraging signs from Alfredo Morelos when he joined the action in the second half, with the Colombian looking fitter and keener than he has done for months. Getting a tune out of the striker will be a major boost for Beale but we’ll get a better idea when the Light Blues return to Premiership duty against Hibs on Thursday.
Terrific Tillman
The Bayern Munich kid has been something of an enigma since joining Gers in the summer. There’s undoubtedly talent there but there have been over his desire to dig in when the going gets tough.
But the early signs are that he will fit in well under Beale’s watch. Both his goals were superbly taken and will provide a timely confidence boost as the Light Blues prepare to get back down to the real stuff on Thursday night.
The Ibrox outfit have an “exclusive option” to buy the 20-year-old from his Bavarian parent club but right now it’s fair to say the Ibrox outfit will still need some convincing to shell out the cash required to make his Ibrox switch a permanent affair. But if he keeps this up then Beale will view it as a wise investment.
Devine intervention
Rangers have an issue at left-back ahead welcoming Lee Johnson’s Easter Road side with Borna Barisic still going for glory in Qatar with Croatia and Ridvan Yilmaz out injured. Beale gave teenage right-back Adam Devine a go down the left and on this viewing he should have no qualms about thrusting the youngster into the Premiership fray.
It was an assured run out from the academy graduate as he showed no hesitation getting forward and put in a couple of decent deliveries with his weaker left foot. Of course, this game wasn’t exactly played at a rapid tempo but there was enough from the Scotland Under-21 international to reassure Beale he’ll cope with the likes of Chris Cadden on Thursday.
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