In a column with The Sunday Post, Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish had words of praise for Rangers centre-back George Edmundson when he wrote, “George Edmundson absolutely typified that with a solid display.
“He kept it simple and played to his limitations. And I mean that as a compliment.
“I believe he cost in the region of £700,000 from Oldham Athletic last summer. Well, he paid back every penny of that transfer fee last Wednesday night with his stunning performance.
“At just 22, it is clear he has a bright future and could go on to become a big, big player for Rangers. Steven must be delighted at the progress the youngster has made.”
Edmundson’s Rapid Emergence At Rangers This Season
Edmundson has been a sporadic feature for the Glaswegian giants since making a move from Oldham Athletic last summer. Most of his appearances have been in the cup competitions this season, but that hasn’t stopped the English youngster from making a positive impression at the Ibrox Stadium. He has featured in 13 matches for the Gers this term, playing a total of 914 minutes in the process. However, the 22-year-old has scored one and provided an assist for his team so far, which goes to show that he can influence the game at both ends of the pitch.
Edmundson put in a coming-of-age performance for Steven Gerrard’s side in the 1-0 second-leg win away at Braga in the UEFA Europa League last week. He made one tackle, one interception and eight clearances in that game. His incredible defensive contributions helped the Scottish outfit reach the last-16 of the competition (stats via whoscored) which highlights his growing influence in Gerrard’s senior team. Rangers will now face Bayer 04 Leverkusen over two legs later this month, so the English centre-back will have to be at his best if he wants to retain his first-team spot in these upcoming European matches versus the Bundesliga outfit.
What Are The English Defensive Ace’s Best Attributes?
Edmundson is a physically strong defender who can do the little things right at the back. He is not shy about getting stuck in with a few challenges and has shown good defensive awareness to read the danger when left exposed inside his box. The English centre-back can also make some vital clearances for his side but still has a lot to learn before he is ready to play regularly at the highest level.
Is Edmundson A Gem In The Making?
Nikola Katic and Connor Goldson have been Gerrard’s first-choice centre-back duo for a major bulk of this campaign. However, Edmundson’s name should now come under serious consideration for every match if he can continue to perform at such a high level. Filip Helander’s struggles with a foot injury this season have also opened the door for the English prospect to stake his claim in Gerrard’s first-team.
At such a young age, he has shown brilliant maturity to go away and perform at a hostile place like the Braga Municipal Stadium. However, Edmundson couldn’t follow that up with another clean sheet as Rangers lost to Hearts by a 1-0 scoreline in the Scottish Premiership last weekend where his performance was not the greatest in all honesty.
It is easy to get carried away when it comes to young players, but Gerrard must stick with the Wythenshawe-born talent for the time being. He will learn from both the good and the bad experiences to hopefully become a top player someday. The early signs have been quite promising, so Edmundson could be a prospect to look out for in the future if he can continue to improve as a player with each season.
