The growing ‘double pivot’ dilemma at Ibrox…

An unexpected and slightly strange conundrum growing at Ibrox has become the ‘double pivot’ scenario.

The double pivot of course is simply the term for the pairing in a defensive midfield two, usually deployed in a 4-2-3-1, as Graeme Murty has elected to choose.

Wednesday night saw captain Jason Holt partner Andy Halliday in it, while Holt’s previous recent chums in that slot have included Greg Docherty and Sean Goss.

And it is that word ‘captain’ which brings the ‘double pivot’ to a ‘double conundrum’ as well.

In short, right now, Jason Holt is captain. It was not envisaged, and it surely is not long term, but the Wee Angry Man has the armband – he has also started the last circa 20 matches.

This unexpected promotion has created a bit of a headache – is Jason Holt now an absolute first-pick? Is he now captain? If yes to either;

Is he in front of the back four or will he get shifted into the three behind the striker?

It is a strange one that few foresaw. Rangers now have quite extraordinary depth in defensive midfield – ok, half of them are injured, but even now, many would have Docherty and Goss as the first pick double pivot in terms of those available.

If so, the attacking trident is throbbing at the rafters with options and quite simply there is not space for Holt. Surely?

Graeme Murty has spoken about how the new signings have to earn their places, and yet evidently only Cummings and Docherty did not start against Ross County, so we are not sure how much water that comment truly holds.

You sign better players to build a better team, and it seems the manager is integrating them into his XI slowly, which is fair enough.

But what of Holt’s long-term future? Some might dismiss it as a non-issue, that over time Docherty and Goss (and Jack, and McCrorie) will swallow up that zone regardless, but we sense the beginning of a small issue should Holt continue to play while the ‘superior’ players make do with bench time.

We should affirm we have respect for Holt – he has been one of the most honest players we have had over the past couple of years – what he lacks in quality and composure he makes up for in work ethic, pace, nuisance factor and the increasing number of free kicks he wins for the side. He has carried himself extremely well and while he probably is not quite at the level Rangers aspire to, he can hold his head extremely high nevertheless.

But fans will want their best players on the pitch. Ryan Jack, Ross McCrorie, Sean Goss, Jordan Rossiter, Greg Docherty, and in front of them, Jamie Murphy, Daniel Candeias, Josh Windass, Michael O’Halloran etc etc.

Jason Holt, bless him, probably cannot be classed as a ‘best player’. But that said, the results with him in the team over the past two months have been undeniable and he seems, inexplicably, to be an integral part of Graeme Murty’s Rangers.

Quite how the new signings and Ryan Jacks of this world will feel about that should it keep up is something Murty will just have to manage.