Giovanni van Bronckhorst made a very interesting admission pre-match which went some way to explaining that while the Dutchman made a sensational start to his Rangers managerial career, he’s still got some learning to do and the recent results are in part down to his misunderstanding.
Speaking to Sky Sports’ Luke Shanley before the match, the Scottish reporter asked Rangers’ boss for his thinking behind the selection of Kemar Roofe up top, and the former Feyenoord boss’s answer was telling.
First of all, as always, he evaded the question, repeating the choice he had, and saying he went for Roofe, but the most insightful part was his admission that the choice was Roofe or Itten.
Fashion Sakala was not, and is not, it seems, for now, considered by this manager as a striker or even as an option.
Ibrox Noise polled our readers a couple of days ago asking who you’d choose of the three, and many hundreds chose Sakala, along with many hundreds picking Roofe. No one chose Itten.
But the boss omitting the Zambian from the equation raises a question of where he sees the ex-Oostende hitman’s position at the club, and while his introduction in the place of Amad Diallo had more gumption, we do wonder why a player with 5 goals and 2 assists in 18 appearances (mostly as winger) wasn’t in contention for the striker berth.
Sakala is a talented finisher with pace to burn, but he’s more of a goalscorer than provider, and we’re curious if he’s only viewed now as a sub to be used on the wings.
He has mostly been used as a striker for his country in recent times, which seems, to us, to be his best slot. He is of course flexible, but the fact he wasn’t part of GVB’s thinking for the striker option is certainly curious.
And there you have it.
I get the feeling that GVB just doesn’t fancy Sakala full stop. Don’t forget he recently chose Wright ahead of Sakala for RW. And Hagi before that. It puzzles me slightly that despite being bought as a striker he appears to be considered more as a winger, even under Gerrard.
Sakala is a class act,and will give 100% every time.
Sakala has pace, and on occasion the ability to blast past an opponent, or even two, then he seems to run out of ideas, and by the time he decides , is usually surrounded and dispossessed.
Roofe is a quality striker, but has dodgy legs, and Fashion is a welcome back up for that role. But if he wants to gain an automatic starting spot there, then he has to earn it just like everyone else.
And you catch the Gaffer’s eye by scoring or laying on goals.
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