Is it time Steven Gerrard dropped Connor Goldson?

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Is it time Steven Gerrard dropped Connor Goldson?


One player to be receiving an increasing amount of criticism in recent weeks, and especially since yesterday’s shambles at Dens Park is the previous untouchable Connor Goldson.

Initially a seeming stunning signing, Goldson’s casual and composed style contrasted nicely with then-partner Nikola Katic’s more brute force style and together they were nice foils for each other.

However, following his ‘mortal’ display at Fir Park where a hapless slip let Motherwell in and his afternoon barely got any better, Goldson’s overall form has been average at best and worrying at worst.

We’re aware he had an ‘illness’ of the chest in recent months and had been playing through the pain barrier, but the last we heard that’s cleared up and also isn’t, curiously (thankfully) related to the heart problems which blighted his career down south.

And for the first month or two Goldson reminded us of Carlos Cuellar – that same languid smooth and unflustered style plus a good solid tackle on him.

But following said mess at Motherwell, Goldson’s form has dipped and swayed, and his frankly hopeless display yesterday has led to calls for him to be reassessed.

Yes, not necessarily dropped, but we have to remember Connor Goldson has only missed two matches since signing, and this follows two years of borderline complete non-football.

His form has suffered, and frankly right now he’s a liability more often than not.

His manager has admitted Goldson is a bit of a, tongue in cheek, pain in the neck, as he’s always in his face asking if he’s playing. We do like enthusiasm, we do, and we want our players to want to play and to deliver for the shirt, but this reeks slightly of immaturity and a lack of humility.

Think Donkey from Shrek – that childlike ‘pick me’ nonsense should be beneath us and we let our manager get on with it.

Whether Gerrard is feeling a sense of pressure to pick Goldson we don’t know, and we stress, we DO like this defender and think he’s got a lot to offer. But not right now – right now, mostly, his form is patchy at best and distressing at worst.

For us, Gareth McAuley has to be a starter – experience and reading of the game as well as his leadership qualities are vital for this defence – it can’t be left to McGregor to yell at everyone all the time.

But who partners him? Well, for us, right now, it’s between Worrall and Katic. Both are young, and both offer different things, but Katic is ours and Worrall, despite having individually good matches here and there, doesn’t want to stay long term and that’s pretty final.

But as for Goldson? Needs a rest. A break. A few weeks out to recharge his batteries. He might be yelling pick me from Auchenhowie but Rangers need to pick their best players, not the most eager ones.

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15 COMMENTS

  1. We do get carried away sometimes with players and this is one. When he signed we fell over ourselves with praise for this guy. How Brighton got it wrong in letting him go at the price we got him for. What a duff player we landed here and we are stuck with him unless we cut our losses with him and punt in January for washers.

    • There is a difference between a loss of form and being a duff player. If he is that bad, why weren't you telling us months ago when everyone else was going on about how good he is?
      So, who would you replace him with Scud? Which player and how much will it cost to get them? Or if a loan, why should their team deal with us? And how much will it cost us to get rid of this "duff player"
      FFS

  2. Yes. This weekend I'd definitely start with Macaulay and Katic. More importantly make sure they are in the correct sides. Katic on the left building an understanding with barasic. I'd drop tav for Flanagan at RB as well. He needs a break and needs to know he has to perform for his place in the team.
    McGregor
    Flanagan
    Macaulay
    Katic
    Barisic
    Rossiter
    Mcrorie
    Arfield
    Grezda
    Kent
    Lafferty- unless we have the balls to play a young striker! Captain Macaulay!

    • Read what I said…He needs rested, he will play Thursday night plus he's been shite! I'd love to have to have another attacking midfielder in there but the problem is we don't actually have any!

  3. No he needs stability and Katic alongside with Barasic and perhaps rest Tav and try Flannigan at RB McCauley covering injury too. Considering we are still there or there about this December will be key… no more losses

  4. £3 million for Goldstone right now we would be lucky to get 300k. Can anyone tell me any player that Gerrard has signed and we have seen his value increase. This is meant to be part of his brief, buy good youngsters and sell them on for a hefty profit. Think all his signings have decreased in value

    • Calm down please this lad will be a really good signing Remember this is his first season in Scotland at a Massive Club ..Please patience and understanding

  5. Dipping form seems to be a recurring theme, with Rangers. Katic, Lafferty, Goldson et al. Seems like they come to Rangers with great form and then the dip, begins. Well, we're not for taking it. They have already sabotaged our season. I mean what's going on? Something is. They ALL know the 'expectations' before the join. Honestly, the excuses, come thick and fast. Time for booted arses and benchings.

  6. The debating who are good and who are bad is not the priority just now we should be more concerned regards the managers stubborn decision to keep the same formation week in week out the other managers already know what our set up is before every game he also makes substitutions that have no effect on how we can improve during matches its and I hate to say this similar to Warburton no plan B Take Morelos out the team and we have nobody else who can play the lone striker role

  7. Its nothing to do with rest when someone isn't playing well but maybe more to do with the manager with all the rotating that we are having to put up with which doesn't work as well compared to a settled 11,especially at the back which every good team builds from…Barasic or Wallace,Katic,McCauley, Flanagan for me…watp

  8. His drop in form coincided with the shuffling of partners but I am also concerned that his collapse in form may be due to playing through pain. Katic should be returned as his partner and that should be our pairing going forward. and playing on the sides they were at the start of the season .I do think that both he and Tav should get a rest at home to Accies on Sunday .If McAuley and Flanagan cannot cover in that game they shouldn`t be at Ibrox.

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