With time to reflect on the current state of grim affairs in terms of the league this season, there’s a stat that is quite difficult to believe.
We have actually kept MORE clean sheets in all competitions than Celtic. Precisely 6 out of 13 in the league each, 0 out of 6 in the Champions League group stages each, and 1 out of 2 in the League Cup each. This amounts to 7 clean sheets for both Rangers and Celtic, in the space of 21 matches in all competitions. You don’t have to be Rachel Riley to work out that this is a pretty dismal 33%.
However, when you take our 4 Champions League qualifiers into account, we kept 2 out of 4 clean sheets, with shut outs at home to Union St Giloise and away in Eindhoven. This gives us a 9 in 25 record, meaning a 36% clean sheet record.
So, let’s put that into perspective, despite having no fit central defenders and having conceded a whopping 39 goals so far (it’s only November), our defence isn’t the reason we’re 9 points behind in the league, or why we crashed out of the Champions League so desperately.
“Keep the zero” was a favourite motto of Gerrard and McAllister, and of course, not conceding means you’re guaranteed a draw, minimum. The trouble for Rangers however, has been our complete lack of firepower in attack, as evidenced by the clean sheet comparisons.
If we must look across the city, sure, they didn’t do much better in Europe, but managed away goal in Ukraine (albeit an OG), which gained them one of their only two points of the campaign, the other secured in the reverse fixture. It’s a couple of points that on hindsight, we’d have given anything to obtain.
Then there’s the goals conceded column in the league. Despite a 9-point gap, Celtic have only conceded 1 goal less than us, 13 and 14 respectively. If you mitigate the 4 they put past us in September, then you could say that “Old Firm aside” they’ve conceded more than us in the league. That’s the whole point though, they’re scoring for fun and despite leaking goals, they’re scoring more, a lot more and that, sadly is the difference between us this season.
Bottom line, yes we need to shore up at the back, and hopefully the return of Helander, Goldson and Souttar can help us with that, but ultimately – we need goals! A striker or 2, or indeed 3 should be top of our priority list, maybe they’ll be spotted in Qatar, maybe they’re already on the radar, but the place we really need them to be is Ibrox, more specifically – the 6-yard box in front of the Copland Road.
Save the 4 million to sack Gio and the same to appoint a new manager and team and spend it on a quality right winger. If nothing else changes with Kent going, get Hagi, Lawrence, Goldson and Lawrie into the side and see where that takes us next year.
Good article – it’s a fine line between success and failure!
But I’m pretty sure that “keep the zero” is a Gio line, famous from his early days, back when our defence was half decent!!
Our stays are good in that angle , unfortunately every other stat shows how poor we are , how lucky the rotten mob are and how poor Scottish Football is. We need more than just a striker , we need more pace , more stell and more guts . I’m not hopeful we have any sort of plan .
The most important stat is that we are 7 points behind that lot and just in november .
Unacceptable.
We are 9 points behind 🤷♂️
As mentioned in another comment, “keep the zero” was something that Gio brought up when he started at Rangers.
Oh what trophy does the clean sheet stats bring, the clutching at straws talking garbage trophy, what next count corners, throw ins, possession for ball being in back of the net, it’s football and garbage stats get nothing, winning is everything.
States that the defence isn’t the problem despite conceding 39 goals, was this article written by a child or just a desperado?
I know this isn’t an be original comment, but the fact remains that the big majority of top players no longer play for the jersey. So when Rangers are playing well there’s no problem. But when things are going badly, as they are now, I’m afraid the players are just not going to dig enough. You can see that in the body language.
Those Stats mean nothing what so ever, your turning a blind eye to whats happening right in front of us.
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