Out of the blue, while we would not call it the Iron Curtain, Rangers do now have some depth in defence. At right back, we have Dujon Sterling and Ross McCrorie as options. Not quite Cafu, but not bad. In the middle, we now have the returning John Souttar, Emmanuel Fernandez and Ben Godfrey. These are what we call options. At left back, of course, the outstanding Tuur Rommens, but who has no deputy under him at all.
Defensive depth finally emerging
However, this does show Rangers are now slowly building up the options. The return of Souttar now gives Derek McInnes options in training, at least to see what there is and what he can work with.
Naturally, it is not enough. We need 1, maybe 2, more solid bodies in there, and few would suggest those 3 options are in themselves necessarily good enough. But it is depth. We are not saying, of course, that we have the Iron Curtain, as said before. But the fact McInnes can choose between different defenders now, rather than relying on just 1 or 2, is at least something.
Competition for places
As we reported, of course, we had next to no options in defence for that maiden friendly against Raith Rovers. Paul Nsio was at the back alongside Zander Hutton, for goodness’ sake.
But with Souttar’s return from international duty, there are now options. Fernandez himself and Godfrey now provide the competition for places that Derek McInnes needs. He needs defenders who are pushing each other.
Balance still required
We do not know who the first choice in that group would be. We imagine Godfrey will be a strong choice to start the season, and he was brought in for a very, very significant reason.
Furthermore, he has to be complemented on the left hand side, and that is likely, at the moment, to be Fernandez, even if his defending is questionable. Perhaps alongside Godfrey, who is that fair bit older, Fernandez might actually develop as a better foil for him than he did for any other defender Rangers had last season.
Godfrey, of course, is a right footed, right sided defender, whereas Fernandez is a left footer. So that gives both John Souttar and Ben Godfrey a left sided foil in Fernandez. Two right footers and 1 left footer.
More additions still needed
So clearly what remains for Derek McInnes is to secure at least another left sided defender. These are highly available, and we know we are in the market for 1 or 2 stoppers at the back.
We would definitely prefer that they were left footed, but time will tell what McInnes chooses to add. But at least now he has some depth.