Gerrard confession may be misdirection over Rangers’ problem area
MOTHERWELL, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 31: Steven Gerrard, Manager of Rangers FC is seen wearing a remembrance poppy badge as he arrives at the stadium prior to the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell FC and Rangers FC at Fir Park on October 31, 2021 in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Steven Gerrard’s potential concession that he got the front three wrong was a very interesting admission, especially given it rather deflected away from Rangers’ real problem area last night, in midfield.
Yes, the front three didn’t work well at all, and quality chances were few and far between, but that same front three had been on fire against Motherwell, Morelos aside, with Fashion Sakala and Joe Aribo having very bright matches.
No, the midfield has a lot more to answer for.
Steven Davis and Glen Kamara’s poor nights in Denmark gave nothing for the front three to feed on, and with only Scott Arfield ‘at it’ on the night the link between midfield and attack was far too static and borderline non-existent.
Steven Davis’ passing level, for him, was a modest 88% and Kamara’s even worse at just 82%, which in their position isn’t high enough. Furthermore, Davis only delivered 3 attempts at a long pass, of which just one actually nailed its target.
ONE.
Kamara didn’t try any.
This gave Scott Arfield, Aribo, Morelos and Sakala absolutely nothing to feed off, no service at all, and it was left to the defenders to try and find the attackers, with Goldson the most successful with 4 accurate attempts of 6.
The midfield is Rangers’ problem area – too many players out of form, static, old, whatever the reason – but it’s not functioning.
And blaming the attack for that, while we admit our front line wasn’t on fire last night, seems little more than misdirection to us.
Maybe you’ll think different.