Graeme Murty has a big problem for Celtic
If yesterday’s demolition of Falkirk taught us one thing, it is that Rangers have genuine selection headaches for next Sunday’s Old Firm clash.
They are numerous but the one which has reared its head now is that of the seemingly undroppable Jason Cummings.
As manager Graeme Murty said himself:
“How can I drop a player who’s just scored a hat trick?”
Indeed. Cummings was clinical, electric, and once again took his chance to impress – and succeeded immeasurably – and showed the ability to play on the left and through the middle, something we proposed Murty might try for Celtic in order to accommodate Cummings should Jamie Murphy not make it.
The on-loan Brighton man near-certainly will make it next weekend, which takes up a slot. Josh Windass, admittedly having a quieter match yesterday out of position on the left, is sure to seize a slot again – he is completely indispensible to Rangers at the moment.
The debate about Cummings’ place has to centre on Alfredo Morelos and Daniel Candeias – and yet this is another tough one – Candeias’ assists have been astonishing this season, but he did struggle for pace in the first Ibrox Old Firm this season against Tierney. Meanwhile Alfredo Morelos is either on his game or is not – when he is, he scores for fun and plays for the team. When not, he goes into a huff and forgets his colleagues. The first one is undroppable, the second one not so much.
But regardless, it is Graeme Murty and Jimmy Nicholl’s call to make – Cummings has made a massive case for inclusion and we cannot see any justification in dropping him at all.
Personally we believe it is a team game. It is about the whole squad and not just the XI who start. Ergo, one of those big four front men should take a place on the bench with grace, and our call would be Morelos.
If he does not start, he will be aching to get on and prove he should have. Use him if he is needed, after all he has already experienced the Old Firm and Cummings has earned his shot at it.
Candeias and Tavernier have become too symbiotic to break that up, while Murphy will be bleeding blue to give his all – putting Windass through the middle in his favoured slot will surely see much more from him in his current stunning form than the disappointments he has served up before in this particular fixture.
And have all of them feeding Cummings – if this lad gets chances he WILL bury them. And we know Morelos has missed quite a few massive chances against the green and white.
Either way though, we are glad we are not the ones tasked with making the call!