Stevie’s Roofe is on fire

One slot at Ibrox remains a definite issue of slight contention, and has remained one for as long as we can actually remember.

Right wing.

Rangers, going back years, have never had a single decent right winger, including Daniel Candeias (the very best of a pretty average bunch), that convinced all fans he was good enough.

Many have come and gone, Sheyi Ojo being the last attempt, and it’s definitely a position Steven Gerrard wants a new body in, a proper right winger.

Before we look at who, let’s look at what we have:

Scott Arfield. He’s played on the right of the flank many times, and he’s done ok there, but he’s just not a playmaker or terribly creative and it’s a patchwork answer.

Ianis Hagi. He’s wasted out there and frankly struggles with the position. Doesn’t read the game particularly well there.

Joe Aribo. Again, like Hagi, wasted there – doesn’t have the pace by trade and isn’t really a crosser of the ball.

Kemar Roofe. This is where it gets interesting and what the majority of this piece is looking at. Roofe’s strongest position is definitely striker. With 35 goals in 71 career appearances in that slot, Roofe is a natural goalscorer. However, his most used position is as right winger, which he is equally happy in, with 25 goals and 15 assists.

So, Rangers have a player who is frankly excellent as both striker and right winger.

It gives Steven Gerrard excellent versatility based on injuries etc and availability. Roofe is one of the few players we have who is a top player in two different positions.

However, he’s only one man, and fundamentally Rangers still need one more proper dedicated RW.

Bologna’s Olsen remains in the picture, and there were murmurs about Feyenoord’s Summerville but Leeds appear to have nicked in there for that one. So if Olsen can be secured that would absolutely nail the issue, but at a rumoured £6M he might be a little steep.

Either way, Gerrard wants another body up there, but he’s certainly at least got a good one in Kemar Roofe.