Michael Beale stares into Rangers abyss as calamitous Aberdeen defeat has boss walking the plank – 3 talking points

Rangers celebrated Armed Forces Day but it’s Michael Beale firmly back in the firing line at Ibrox after his injury-hit side slumped to a demoralising Premiership defeat to Aberdeen.

Stefan Gartenmann’s first goal for Aberdeen, a second from birthday boy Jamie McGrath and a late clincher from Jack MacKenzie did the damage – with ex-Don Scott Wright red carded for a second booking just 26 minutes after coming on at half-time rubbing salt into the gaping wounds.

Abdallah Sima’s 75th minute tap in to make it 2-1 brought a little hope to the home support. But their fury at falling seven points behind Celtic echoed round Govan for large spells of a miserable afternoon with Beale the target for the majority of the venom. Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Sima all missed the target with good early chances for Rangers while Dons keeper Kelle Roos produced a spectacular point blank range to keep out Dessers 20th minute header.

Michael Beale

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Rangers were made to pay when Aberdeen produced a lesson in finishing as they forged ahead with their first effort after 37 minutes. Leighton Clarkson’s corner from the left floated across the six yard line and Gartenmann timed his run to perfection to slide in and knock past Jack Butland at the back post.

Miovski was the width of a post away from doubling the Dons’ lead when his header rattled back off Butland’s right hand upright shortly after the break. But birthday boy McGrath did find the second after 68 minutes as he smashed home from six yards after Butland had blocked a deflected drive from MacKenzie.

When Wright was sent off with 19 minutes to go for a second yellow after fouling Gartenmann, Rangers’ hopes looked to have evaporated. Yet Sima threw them a lifeline when he tapped home after Roos had missed his punch from Borna Barisic’s cross with 15 minutes remaining.

However, as Gers pushed for a leveller it was the Dons who settled matters in the 85th minute when MacKenzie slammed home an impressive drive via the underside of the bar.

Pressure on Beale

Four wins had appeared to ease the flak heading the Rangers manager’s way after the Old Firm defeat last month – but it was only ever being shelved until the next wobble. That it arrived against a side the Ibrox support hold second only to Celtic in the rivals stakes meant the fury that poured down on Beale last month was back with all its venom. The jury remains out on the vast majority of his summer signings and the new-look frontline continues to struggle.

Throw in three defeats from the opening seven league games and it’s a dangerous concoction for the manager. Despite an early flurry of opportunities Gers ran out of ideas in the final third, played too much in front of the Dons’ defence and sent in hopeful crosses that were meat and drink to the Aberdeen backline.

Beale said in the closing weeks of the transfer window the one position he was still missing was a Ryan Kent type to produce a bit of magic and open up deep lying defences. It’s being exposed now. With trips to Limassol, Paisley and Prague as well as home games against Hibs and Hearts coming up it feels like Beale is right back where he was after that destructive derby defeat.

Seven and hell

Seven players missing and now seven points behind Celtic after just seven games. For Rangers right now life in the Premiership is pretty hellish. Kemar Roofe, Danilo, Todd Cantwell, Nico Raskin, Kieran Dowell, Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo were all missing but that’s no excuse for a side that’s spent heavily in the summer only to appear to be going backwards.

Beale had challenged Dessers pre-match to kick start his Ibrox career in the absence of Kemar Roofe but it was more like Cyriel Despairs as the out of form frontman looked shorn of confidence – and he was booed off when replaced by Zak Lovelace with six minutes remaining.

The Nigerian was the main culprit as Rangers failed to take their early chances and were made to pay. Just three minutes were on the clock when he burst through one on one with Roos only to miscue his angled effort off target. To be fair the Dons keeper then produced a worldie save to deny

Dessers from point blank range after 20 minutes. But that was it. Another 90 minutes saw fellow new boys Sam Lammers and Jose Cifuentes fail to impress as Gers were snuffed out by an impressively stubborn Dons side. Other than the crocked Roofe, Beale decided to stick with the same starting line-up that dumped Livi out the League Cup on Wednesday evening. But there was to be no late salvo of goals here even with eight minutes added on at the death.

Dogged Dons deserving

Aberdeen dug deep for their first win at Ibrox since March 2019 – and nobody could grudge the resurgent Pittodrie side the three points. Led by inspirational skipper Graeme Shinnie – a man hated by the Gers support as much as he is loved by his own – Robson’s side emptied the tank to make it three huge results on the spin and get their season off and running.

Robson deployed a similar set-up to that which came so close to securing a stunning result in Frankfurt 10 days ago with five at the back supported by a four-man midfield. Off the ball they were dogged, comfortable at soaking up waves of attack and set up to frustrate early on. It worked a treat.

They lived dangerously at times in the first half but with enough quality in the middle to front areas – most notably Leighton Clarkson, Jamie McGrath and Bojan Miovski – to cause Gers problems on the counter they made their mark.

A fortnight ago Robson was under serious pressure himself after losing at Tynecastle. But three massive wins sets them up perfectly for the home clash with Helsinki on Thursday as the Dons look to get their Conference League campaign up and running.