Rangers have signed as many as ten players in the ongoing transfer window, and it has been slightly surprising to see them reinforce their midfield area as they recently signed Andy King on loan from Leicester City. However, having an experienced head wouldn’t harm anyone and King will add more depth and competitions for places.
Boyd on where Rangers need to strengthen
Former Rangers and Scotland striker Kris Boyd believe that Rangers should strengthen at left-back. On air with Sky Sports, Boyd said (via The Scottish Sun), ”I’ve been pretty vocal…Rangers need a left-back. You’ve got Borna Barisic – Steven Gerrard doesn’t seem to trust him. He plays some games, he’s out for others. Andy Halliday…it’s unfair for him to play there every week. Jon Flanagan’s a right-footed player playing at left-back.”
”What I will say is that when he plays, it gives James Tavernier the licence to get up that right-hand side, rather than two full-backs getting up the pitch. Flanagan is a natural defender – he tucks in and makes it compact. If I were spending anymore money [at Rangers], I’d have looked to get a left-back in.”
What should be Gerrard’s play?
Rangers indeed have three left-back options, but none of them has really cemented their place in the last year. Barisic has been prone to injuries and has looked far too inconsistent. Rangers spent £2.2m on him last summer, so he was supposed to be the standout left-back option for the club. A lot more was expected of him as he is a Croatian international, but it is fair to say that he has failed to live up to the expectations.
Andy Halliday is a makeshift left-back at best, and he might give the perseverance and tenacity of a fullback, but he is just not a natural defender. An explosive right-winger will be able to exploit him, and Gerrard would be wary of that.
As things stand, we think that Flanagan is the best option which Rangers have especially against good teams. Boyd is spot on with his assessment that having Flanagan is like having a third centre back and it gives someone like Tavernier a bit more licence to bomb forward.
We think that Rangers shouldn’t be in a desperate need to find a new left-back and they can alternate between the three option according to the quality of the opposition. Until Barisic is shipped away, we don’t see the Gers investing in another left-sided fullback.
