Stevie ‘admits’ favourite is untouchable, but fans don’t entirely agree…

After another match saw yet more dilly-dallying in defence from Connor Goldson, the Englishman has come under fire again for not producing a level high enough, consistently.

Fans have been more than a touch upset that the likes of Nikola Katic and the ‘finding-their-feet’ pair of Filip Helander and George Edmundson have all had to fight for a place alongside the vice-captain, who, like James Tavernier, appears to be completely untouchable.

This was effectively confirmed by the manager when he named the ex-Brighton man among those he couldn’t improve upon this winter in the event of delving into the transfer market, an assertion supporters would probably disagree with on the whole. And that’s just via his peers in the squad.

We keep getting messages on the site complaining about Goldson’s untouchable nature, while the trio beside him have to jostle for that one space rather than four men competing like men for two spaces.

Goldson has rarely to never been held to account for any of his poor performances by the manager, which is curious given Gerrard has been quick to criticise individuals in the past for poor performances or tangible errors.

Just not Goldson. Not by name.

But this is getting away from the point – on Sunday he (and Tavernier) were massively culpable for the opening goal – in his case for not closing down on either occasions particularly well and being caught in no man’s land.

And yet he will start on Thursday in Porto for the first part of the Portuguese double-header, and who can trust him (or indeed Tavernier for that matter) not to bungle again and cost the side goals or a point.

We can’t quite fathom why Goldson has always had a free pass at Ibrox – initially he did justify his selection with some composed and intelligent defending, but since around November last year, more or less a full 12 calendar months, something about him has just failed to convince us on this site, and while we were criticised by some for this stance, time has sadly proven it correct and most supporters seem to want others given a chance.

But, them’s the cards the manager deals with. He lives by that decisive sword and he’ll die by it too.