Just like Ange- Barry Ferguson wants Beale to adopt a very familiar style of play

Barry Ferguson is enjoying watching Celtic so much that he wants Michael Beale to adopt something very similar to Angeball at Ibrox.

Over the first 15 matches of the season Celtic have built up a nine point lead over their city rivals, just as tellingly their goal difference is plus 17 better with 50 goals coming from a variety of sources.

Inverted full-backs is a fairly new concept but critical to the way that Celtic play, creating extra space for wingers who are under instruction to be heading into the goalmouth rather than the by-line with midfielders flooding into the penalty box.

When Celtic get the ball into the penalty area there is often four or five options with Jota, Liel Abada and Reo Hatate regularly among the goals. In successive games Greg Taylor popped up with vital goals.

In less than 18 months Ange Postecoglou has transformed the club, imposed his own style of play with the onus now in Beale to do likewise and revive the SPFL title race.

Listening to Ferguson on Go Radio last night, Football Scotland reports the former Alloa boss saying:

Do I see Rangers clawing back the nine points? Only if Celtic hit a serious brick wall. They’ve got to win that [game against Hibs]. I’m sure Michael Beale will want that as well.

He says that he wants a real attack-minded team. That’s what the Rangers fans expect – Rangers taking the game to teams.

Really expansive, full-back’s high and wide, numbers get into the box, and the midfield dominating the game.

I’m looking forward to next Thursday night to see how Michael Beale sets his team up and how Rangers go about the job.

He [Postecoglou] has got a very attack-minded style of football and I’ll be honest with you, it is good to watch. High-energy, they press high up the pitch, they know their roles and responsibilities within the team.

To play with Celtic’s intensity requires a very strong substitute bench, between 60 and 70 minutes Postecoglou will regularly make three or four like-for-like substitutions, mainly in midfield and the attacking positions.

On January 2 Ferguson will get a live contrast of how the two clubs are faring when they meet in the derby match at Ibrox.