Rangers’ chances of a win against Villarreal on Thursday night were always going to be low.
The latest injury set-back, however, means that expectations for tomorrow simply have to change. With Ovie Ejaria now ruled out having stayed in Glasgow, chances are minimal of a result tomorrow night.
It may come across as negative, it may even come across as a poor thing to say. But injuries are really going against Rangers ahead of the trip to El Madrigal.
The midfield headache
Ejaria now joins Ryan Jack as the missing central midfielders for the match in Spain. Speculation is fuelling that Graham Dorrans could come in and replace the on-loan Liverpool man. If that was the case, then it’s a massive risk by Steven Gerrard if he so chooses.
Dorrans hasn’t played in months, and wasn’t a particularly impressive performer when he did. Throwing him in against top La Liga opposition after a bad injury is asking for trouble.
It’s more likely that Gerrard goes for Andy Halliday tomorrow night instead. Even so, however, the former Bradford City star is likely to struggle in a tough venue.
The fact is that taking Ejaria and Jack out of that midfield takes away real energy and legs. Ejaria is still developing, but he would’ve provided a form of creative spark Rangers need from the midfield. Scott Arfield can’t be relied upon at this level to do it, he showed that in the qualifiers.
Fortunately, Lassana Coulibaly is just back from injury and looking as fine as ever. The Malian destroyer is by far and away Rangers’ best midfielder these days. He will at least make up for the aggressive attributes that Jack gives the Gers in the engine room.
Fans were expecting beforehand to go over to Spain and put on a decent showing. Some even believed a result was on the cards, along-side former players.
The loss of key players, however, means that it’s unfair to put that kind of pressure on what will be a patched-up Gers side. Villarreal have their injury problems also, but Gerrard is losing so much with the stars already out.
It’s going to be a tough shift tomorrow night, and hope is really all Rangers can have given the crucial parts of the squad struck by injuries and suspensions.
