After Rangers title hopes ending at the weekend is it time for Michael Beale to give some fringe players a chance to see if they’re worth keeping around next season? Players like Matondo, Hagi and Wright haven’t seen much game time in recent weeks so now may be time for them to show their worth.
It remains unlikely that Beale massively changed the starting eleven from the weekend considering the semi-final is approaching so he may want to keep all first choice players match fit. There is a chance though, to give some fringe players the minutes they desire which could, theoretically, put them in the shop window.
It’s no secret that Ianis Hagi is regarded as a sellable asset among the fan base, the talented Romanian midfielder is struggling to get minutes now so what are the chances he will get minutes after a refresh of the squad this summer? If he’s given the chance he could show clubs that he’s capable of recapturing the form which helped Rangers to their 55th title in the 20/21 season. He managed seven goals and eleven assists in the SPFL that season and a player of his profile capable of those numbers could bring in Rangers a few million pounds which could be spent elsewhere.
Hagi is already not getting game time and Tom Lawrence still has to return on top of any potential new signings. Should he be given game time so he can show potential suitors what he’s worth?
Scott Wright is another who may be part of what could be a mass exodus this summer and with rumoured English Championship interest it could be smart to put him in the shop window also. Give him some game time to show what he’s capable of and hopefully drive up his price some more.
Rabbi Matondo is a difficult one, a decent amount of money spent on him in the summer and he’s yet to impress. He’s also barely had a chance recently so this may be the perfect time for to show the fans he’s worth the money the club forked out in the summer.
There’s also a chance some of the younger players could get a look in post semi-final but it seems very unlikely they’ll get a look in this weekend.
Before the semi-final it seems likely that Beale will stick with the same eleven, depending on Goldson’s injury, that started against Celtic. After that though, there’s a real chance for rotation and giving player’s opportunities to see if they deserve to stay at the club next season.
Who do you think will start on Saturday, will we see any changes or will Beale stick to the same eleven?