We are more than two months into the season and Rangers are sitting on top of the Premiership table with a lead of two points. Everyone is expecting a tight title race as Rangers are showing that they can compete on every front. Even in the European games so far, Gerrard’s men have shown promising signs.
A dilemma for Gerrard to solve
Rangers have depth in their squad, and their team looks settled. However, there is one area where we are still not sure about the first-choice option, and that is the centre back pairing. Title winning teams are built on a reliable defensive pair who usually start in every game of the season barring any injury or suspension issues.
However, as we have seen, Gerrard tends to rotate the centre backs. The spot of Connor Goldson seems to be fixed and the other position has been rotated. Recently, George Edmundson also impressed in limited opportunities. It is often said that having a selection dilemma is a good problem to have, but we think that Gerrard needs to find his best pair soon. He needs to make that duo a regular feature at the back instead of rotating them in various competitions.
Centre backs often need excellent communication between them, and they need to be aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Gerrard would definitely claim that his defenders are good enough to play with anyone at any given time but nailing down the first-choice option would provide them with confidence.
Why Goldson’s spot is also under the scanner?
We are also unsure about Goldson’s spot being the fixed one in the centre back role. The Englishman had a poor game in Switzerland, and there have been occasions when he has been found wanting. However, Gerrard seems to prefer him more often than not. Nikola Katic has done well, but he hasn’t managed to nail down the first-team spot since last season.
Helander has seemingly settled in well, and it could be tough to drop him. Edmundson recently showed that even he could fit in seamlessly. And based on his few appearances, we think that he needs to be given a regular go at the back. To us, Goldson’s position shouldn’t be fixed as he is far from perfect.
At the moment, the jury is still out on who might grab the two centre back spots. Gerrard should soon decide upon his first-choice options as the two centre backs should pair up consistently with each other for most parts of the season. It will be harsh on the player who might have to miss out, but generally, it is ideal to have a settled defensive partnership.
