Rangers defence is a mess: Gio to make recall for Katic?

Giovanni van Bronckhorst recently confirmed Nikola Katic is finished at Rangers, that he is to find gainful employment elsewhere.

Intriguingly that was some weeks ago and nothing has yet materialised, despite claims Hadjuk Split were to make a £850,000 move for him.

However, defensive frailties have cost Rangers a tonne already this season, with Connor Goldson’s form being especially poor.

With Leon Balogun and Calvin Bassey long gone and Filip Helander permanently on the treatment table, while Ben Davies isn’t up to speed and James Sands isn’t even a proper defender, could there be shock scope for a reprieve for the Croat who frankly has never let the club down when given the chance?

We remember that form he showed in Autumn 2019 – then-manager Steven Gerrard admitted the reason he couldn’t select new signing Helander was the form of the Croatian.

Quite frankly he was magnificent during that period, and was looking every inch a Rangers answer to Virgil van Dijk. Big, strong, quick, and more than willing to put his head where it hurt, Katic was in the form of his life.

Then Gerrard dropped him ruthlessly to play Helander instead.

Effectively, that, all the way back in late 2019, was the end of Katic at Ibrox.

But with the defence leaking a tonne of goals this season, with 7 conceded in 7 matches, could there be any scope to give the Croatian a chance?

The defence is a mess – this is clear. James Sands is a young player who’s having to deputise at the back because new signings haven’t settled and no one else is fit, while Goldson’s form this term is absolutely ghastly so far.

Surely there needs to be a change?

Whether it is Katic or anyone else, the defence is just going to keep ducking out of the way and shipping goals like it’s out of fashion if nothing is altered.

It’s Gio’s call of course, but he’d be wise to make it.