So you knew this article was coming, given our vehemence recently over Nikola Katic.
And yes, Rangers’ defence came out of last night’s adventure with an impressive clean sheet, with Filip Helander demonstrating a fair level of his quality given his first real chance to play at Ibrox for his new employers.
He was a very composed and assured defender, and while he looks strangely awkward in his posture, it doesn’t reflect his solid defending and assured reading of the game.
So we can certainly have no complaints about his display, and indeed agreed it was time to bring him in, as our readers confirmed by around 9 to 1 in favour.
But of course, not at Nikola Katic’s expense.
Stevene Gerrard’s line was ‘just tactical’, but this makes no sense, given the Croat wasn’t even on the bench.
Rangers’ best defender this season found himself axed entirely from the squad and we’re going to be bold enough to say we don’t believe a word of Stevie’s reasoning.
Something has happened here, and we admit the reports claiming there had been a bust up and Katic was to be dropped evidently got it spot on.
And yet, Goldson, solid enough but outclassed by Helander, continues to play, immune to being dropped, and either an absolute Gerrard favourite or contractually protected.
This is not to say he’s been awful, he hasn’t – he just hasn’t excelled, not like Katic, and yet Katic gets the boot while Goldson continues on untouched?
Helander took his chance, and took it well, but we’d love to see he and Katic, not he and Goldson – a future Croat international (and technically current given he has a cap) and a present Swedish one would be an impressive centre-back pairing to say the least, but Goldson is the one who seems utterly immune.
We don’t know what truly has happened behind the scenes, but just like last season Katic has been unceremoniously dumped for the start of the European campaign, and it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
If this is ‘deliberate’ and all part of some kind of ‘grand plan’ to manage Katic in a ‘unique’ way (as Stevie said last season) frankly it’s rather cruel to give him so much early season action then take it all away no matter how well he does.
We’ll see if Katic is back in the side for the trip to Perth on Sunday, because that may just be the most telling of all.
Goldson is the best CB at distributing the ball from the back, that's why he gets the SG nod over Katic (who we all like very much). Shagger to Goldson, then diagonals to the right and left of midfield. Goldson does this better than the other three CB's. In the rough and tumble of SPL games, there is more need of Katic's physical attributes – i'd like to see him playing with Helander against St J.
I still think everyone is missing the glaring point man, can both left sides central defenders play together?
Goldson use of the is horrid. Sold the goal v celtic, almost gave one away last night trying the same daft pass on the halfway line. Katic has been by far our best defender so far, just like the start of last season. Harsh on him again goldson seems untouchable
I think we should be celebrating beating the top seeds in the group. Not so negative.
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