Barry Ferguson reckons Michael Beale can't afford to take any gambles or carry any passengers when it comes to Alfredo Morelos against Celtic.
That's why the Ibrox hero is sticking by his guns and calling on his former club to play Fashion Sakala through the middle with his blistering pace a key trait to cause the Hoops defence some serious issues. The legendary skipper has always been a big fan of Morelos over the years but he admits he is now reaching the point that he believes his old club might be 'better off without him'.
He's not the only player to come under the microscope ahead of the Scottish Cup semi-final weekend clash with Celtic. It's a huge game for both clubs with Ange Postecoglou's men in a very strong position to claim a domestic Treble should they win at the national stadium while a Light Blues victory would not only stop their arch rivals from a clean sweep but also make them overwhelming favourites to get a first trophy in the cabinet under Beale.
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Ferguson was always up for the battle and fight in these types of games and he knows that players need to stand out and make a difference in the Old Firm. He believes that was missing from the last encounter and he's questioned whether Todd Cantwell and Malik Tillman are willing to dig in and if so, how far for their team. He knows just how much ability both players have but says they are guilty of 'fading out' of games.
Writing in his Daily Record column, he explained: "I said before the last Old Firm game that I would have gone with Fashion Sakala up front and I’m sticking to my guns for this one as well. I believe Sakala’s blistering pace can cause Celtic’s central defence some serious problems. Obviously, that’s a big call because it means leaving Alfredo Morelos on the bench and even though I’ve always been a big supporter of the Colombian even I am now reaching the conclusion Rangers might be better off without him.
"The problem with Morelos is that you have no idea what you’re going to get from him. It’s hard to know if his heart is still in it. At his best, he can be absolutely unplayable. But all too often this season he’s been going through the motions. And Beale simply can’t afford to take any gambles or carry any passengers where this game is concerned.
"There’s no point in sitting him down, looking in his eyes and asking if he’s up for it this weekend. It’s way too late for that. Never mind Morelos, if there are any players who need to be spoken to and reminded of the importance of stopping Celtic from winning a treble then they shouldn’t be anywhere near Beale’s starting XI."
He continued: "What Rangers need are players who are determined to stand up and make a difference in the final third because that’s exactly what was missing in the last game at Celtic Park. Everything up to that point, in terms of the way they approached the game, was pretty much spot on. But when it came to the crunch, too many key players were posted missing at the business end of the pitch.
"That can’t happen at Hampden because this is the biggest game of the season by a country mile. I’m not interested in what happens in the post split matches - the league is over - so showing up and looking the part when the pressure is off is no use to anyone.
"This is not the time to be looking out the speedos and the flip-flops. This is when you prove you know what being a Rangers player is all about. I’m looking at the likes of Todd Cantwell and Malik Tillman and asking them how deep they are prepared to dig?
"These two guys have all the ability in the world but that counts for nothing if they don’t have the mentality to go with it. Let’s be honest, they have both been guilty of fading out of games when things aren’t going their way. I’ve played with people like that and what they need is players around them who protect them and get the best out of them by doing the hard yards. I worry that Rangers look a bit soft when Ryan Jack isn’t doing that enforcer job in the midfield.
"But the more creative influences like Cantwell and Tillman also have a responsibility to step up and grab the bull by the horns. I don’t want them turning it on when things are going well. I need them to make a difference when the game is on a knife edge."
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