Michael Beale's 2019 League Cup lesson can spur Rangers to success

To receive our full and free newsletter, sign up by clicking here.  

Michael Beale’s team selection is unlikely to feature many surprises this Sunday.

The back four picks itself ahead of Allan McGregor while Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos definitely play alongside Malik Tillman if the latter recovers from injury in time. Although some indecision surrounds the midfield pairing selected, with John Lundstram and Ryan Jack also battling to be declared ready for action, most would assume Nico Raskin’s thrown in after his impressive start at Rangers.

After all, the Ibrox outfit moved to secure his services in January, instead of the summer window, for a reason.

Todd Cantwell has also taken quickly to life at Ibrox after moving north from Norwich City. However, his inclusion from the start could be dependent on Tillman’s availability. It seems unlikely that Cantwell plays ahead of Fashion Sakala.

Why? Because the Zambian is a goalscorer and from one of Beale’s very first press conferences, he’s made it clear that getting an extra finisher in his starting 11 is of paramount importance.

“I certainly want to play with two strikers at times and you should expect that in the coming games that we play,” the manager said.

“That’s a little bit of a hint of what’s coming. I want to put more strikers on the pitch and more goalscorers."

Most presumed this would equate to Antonio Colak and Morelos playing together up top, but the Croatian missed Beale’s first match due to injury and hasn’t nailed down a spot since, unlike Sakala.

To understand the 25-year-old’s function in Beale’s team we need to think of the terms ‘goalscorer’ and ‘No.9’ as a flexible role, not a binary position. That is to say just because a player’s starting position is on the wing, it doesn’t mean their sole function is to provide for a centre-forward.

Think Marcus Rashford playing from the left at Man Utd or Mo Salah the right at Liverpool. Their main responsibility in the team is to score goals, even if they don’t always start in the position of a classic centre-forward and can also provide for others.

The numbers back up Sakala’s role as a goalscorer, even if he doesn’t often start through the middle. Per 90, no attacking midfielder or winger in the league has a higher xG (0.48), average number of shots attempted (4.74) or touches in the opposition box (10.57) than Sakala since Beale’s first game in mid-December.

READ MORE: Why Fashion Sakala represents Rangers' key change under Michael Beale

Assists have also been provided in important matches. Against Hearts, Sakala found Morelos at the back post after hugging the right touchline.

While Kent’s equaliser in the last Old Firm game derived from Sakala driving through the middle of the pitch and picking out his teammate.

Whether scoring or setting up goals, Sakala will give you dependable numbers in the final third and that’s why he’s been selected so consistently.

Too many Rangers sides in recent years have lacked players with the ability to make a tangible difference in the final third. It hamstrung Steven Gerrard until Kemar Roofe and Ianis Hagi arrived and Giovanni van Bronckhorst suffered from similar difficulties domestically. 

As stated, Beale’s made his intentions of playing with two goalscorers clear from the start. And, casting his mind back to the 2019 League Cup Final this week, a match Rangers totally dominated but lost, you can understand why.

“We performed pretty well on the day between the two boxes but we didn’t execute where you have to in a decisive game, in the boxes,” the manager commented.

To win this Sunday’s Old Firm final Rangers will need to do what they did not in 2019, win the boxes, be clinical and take their moments. 

Sakala may not line up as a centre-forward, but his proclivity to make a difference in the penalty box through a variety of methods can help bring the trophy back to Ibrox.