Rangers do not have their injury troubles to seek right now. After 22/23’s absolutely catastrophic injury crisis, the traditional autumn/winter blight hits Ibrox yet again, and on the eve of Rangers’ trip to Celtic Park, Ibrox Noise takes a look at the potentials for Philippe Clement to actually select.
Goals is easy. Butland.
But defence has seen two losses – it had been the one area that was looking amazingly injury-free but knocks to Borna Barisic and Connor Goldson in the past 5+ days have seen some issues surface.
Assuming neither of these two make it this weekend we imagine defence picks itself:
Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun and Ridvan. The only other options are Yfeko, Devine and Davies – not exactly rich pickings, and a subtle clue as to why Rangers could use another CB for sure.
Midfield is absolutely crushed. The entire fleet is injured, with only adapted RB Dujon Sterling available alongside recently-returned-forgotten-man Kieran Dowell.
There’s no one else in there.
Attacking midfield sees, we hope, Abdallah Sima – he did take a sore one recently but he seems to be ok, while Todd Cantwell has enjoyed a little burst of form amid his return to his favoured 10 slot.
Ross McCausland and Rabbi Matondo are the remaining two options actually fit here unless we count the consistently poor Sam Lammers.
Up front it’s Cyriel Dessers and no one else.
So your Ibrox Noise predicted XI based on the fact 90% of the squad appears to be injured:
Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Ridvan; Sterling, Dowell; Sima, Cantwell, McCausland; Dessers
We can’t see it being a lot different to this unless there’s some miracle injury recoveries – the two that stand out might be Goldson and Barisic.
Bench:
McCrorie, Devine, Davies, Yfeko, King, Matondo and Lammers.
Still, Clement can get a song out of this and would write himself into legend if he can win this one…