Rangers are currently reeling after failing to reach the Champions League group stage and suffering defeat at the hands of an injury-riddled Celtic side in the Old Firm derby at home.
Beale signed nine new players in the summer to overhaul his squad but the new signings went missing on the big day last Sunday.
Hartson has admitted that he is not certain that Rangers have progressed from what they were last season and is not sure that they are a better team now.
He insisted that Beale cannot have any excuses as he was given the opportunity to bring in his own players over the summer transfer window and feels too many of them are not of the required quality.
Hartson said on the Go Radio Football Show: “Are Rangers better than the side that they were last season? I am not too sure where they are.
“He has brought in his own players so there are no excuses.
“I think they didn’t have a cutting edge at the weekend, some of the play at the edge of the Celtic box was really good but they were not clinical enough.
“And too many players are not up to the level that Michael Beale expected.”
Rangers have lost two of their opening four league games and are already four points behind Celtic in the title race.
