Despite how happy Ibrox Noise was over securing Derek McInnes and getting things ‘back on track’ we were vocal in wondering why the transfer window was so midfielder-heavy.
Even including departures, Rangers currently have Dujon Sterling, Ross McCrorie, Vanja Dragojevic, Dan Neil, Tochi Chukwuani, Nicolas Raskin, Connor Barron, Lyall Cameron, Cammy Devlin and the more attacking Findlay Curtis and Thelo Aasgaard as midfielders.
That, count them, is 11 midfielders, or players who can play there. McCrorie and Sterling are primarily DMs even if DM won’t use them there.
We questioned this repeatedly. Why so many midfielders when the main surgery required was on defence and attack?
After the signing of Lawrence Shankland, we were told Derek McInnes was content with he, Ryan Naderi, Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski. We rather questioned that in itself but let it be. Now losing Chermiti has made a bizarre situation worse.
But then there’s defence.
Signing just ONE central defender (Ben Godfrey) when John Souttar appears to be out of the picture and the only other one is the hapless Emmanuel Fernandez was mental. Till, of course, belatedly, another was added in Olwethu Makhanya. James Penrice was an ‘emergency’ after Tuur Rommens’ injury.
So… why so many midfielders?
Why did Rangers sign literally four new midfielders when the squad already had a tonne on its roster?
The only one we’ve shipped out this summer is Mohamed Diomande. Unless you count Bajrami, Nsio and Rice?
Balance
To say recruitment has made an already imbalanced team even worse is putting it lightly.
Theres a lack of full backs, with just one fit LB and zero RBs (aside utility men McCrorie and Sterling).
Central defence is feeble. The wings are questionable at best. And the strike-force is abysmal.
We do not fathom why so much focus and attention went on adding to an already-bloated area of the squad.
Meanwhile the rest of the squad remained neglected.
Is it any wonder this team cannot win?