Rangers have signed plenty of players since Steven Gerrard took over and they can probably make two teams of eleven with the number of players that have come in over the last three windows. Given that there was a significant reshuffle in the previous season, one expected Rangers to take a more conservative approach in this summer window. However, Gerrard and Co. continued to strengthen their side in various departments.
The Gers have plenty of options to choose from, so there are going to be some players who will struggle for game time this season. One of them is Greg Stewart who was picked up by Rangers this summer on a free transfer after his contract with Birmingham City had ended. Stewart had spent the last season on loan with Kilmarnock and Aberdeen.
While playing for the Killie in the first half of the season, the 29-year-old managed to score eight goals and came up with seven assists in the Premiership. He couldn’t replicate that form while playing for Aberdeen but it was enough for Rangers to make a move for him this summer.
McNamara on Stewart’s situation
Former Celtic and Scotland defender Jackie McNamara believes that Stewart is already frustrated with his time at the Ibrox. Speaking to Football Insider, he said, ”He was a free agent, so it wasn’t a massive risk. He’s) experienced but there’s other ones ahead of him just now. From that side, obviously he’ll be frustrated that he’s not getting the game time he wants, but we might see that change with one or two injuries.”
The versatile Scottish attacker has made eight appearances so far this season, but only three have come from the start. As long as Gerrard’s core attacking players remain fit, Stewart is likely going to struggle to get game time. However, Stewart recently featured against the Dons and played a stellar role as the attacking midfielder.
Stewart’s plus point and why he needs to be patient?
One major plus for Stewart is that he can feature as a secondary striker, as a lone striker, as a no. 10 or operate even on the flanks. Therefore his versatility to play in several attacking positions will come in handy in a long season where Rangers are expected to compete for multiple trophies.
Gerrard has so far used the 29-year-old on the flanks, which is probably not his preferred position as he is better off playing in a more central role. However, Gerrard has got two in-form strikers in Jermain Defoe and Alfredo Morelos, so he needs to be patient for his game time. It was always going to be like this as Stewart was never going to be the first choice option so we don’t think that the player would be frustrated so early on in the season. Maybe after the Aberdeen game, things can change now.
