In Rangers biggest game of the season will we see the status quo maintained or a turning of the tide?
I tell you what I don’t want to see, two in midfield playing against three. But you know when you have a horrible feeling, the same feeling that I had before the recent game against Dundee that Kenny Miller would be the man to replace the injured Josh Windass (if you don’t believe me, check @gmkelly1979 on Twitter!)?
We had the smallest insight in what could be possible on Saturday, for the last 10-15 minutes Rangers played with three central midfielders in Graham Dorrans, Sean Goss and Andy Halliday. We looked more compact with less space between defence and attack. Graham Dorrans had potentially his best 15 minutes in a Rangers jersey. He was dictating play in an advanced position and showed how good he is at running beyond and supporting Alfredo Morelos.
I know this sounds daft, if Kenny Miller doesn’t score in the first half he has an awful game, missing a few chances better than the one he scored and offering no protection to the midfield. But because he scores the all-important first goal and runs around loads his selection is justified, isn’t it?
Not for me it isn’t.
We had a great opportunity, at home, against weaker opposition to introduce a more solid spine without weakening the team in wide areas. Whether that meant bringing in Ross McCrorie into midfield alongside Greg Docherty and Dorrans or the re-introduction of Sean Goss.
The fact that McCrorie went off with cramp for Bruno Alves after 65 minutes shows he isn’t quite fit enough for the shift required in the middle of the park. So, I would’ve gone with Goss and Docherty with Dorrans further forward, strength in numbers.
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I’d go with Goss ahead of Halliday because he has shown flashes of his passing ability, which, with a bit more support and protection could be crucial in exposing the space in wide areas and behind the defence.
Sean Goss can dictate the pace of a game from a deeper position, the problems always occur when our deepest midfielder is ahead of the ball. With three in the middle that wouldn’t happen, Goss is a “head up” kind of player, with more time and players in front of him he could be the difference in controlling the game.
It is so blatantly obvious to every single Rangers fan that we need to strengthen in the middle of the park. Jamie Murphy and Daniel Candeias can’t be dropped and Alfredo Morelos’ all round game dictates that he starts ahead of Jason Cummings. It is that one position/role that doesn’t affect the pattern of how we play but the individual selected could have a massive say in the result against Celtic because of the impact they will have on players around them.
It’s a big and exaggerated shout, but I genuinely believe we would have a better chance of winning if we had any combination of three central midfielders, ANY combination.
For this game though, I think McCrorie has to come into midfield. His performance at Parkhead is as good a reason as any. I’m not happy with Russell Martin and Bruno Alves as a partnership but they would be defending a bit deeper than normal in this game which would benefit both. Alves should also feel that he has a point to prove given his severe lack of Old Firm game time so far.
A midfield three of McCrorie, Dorrans and Docherty? Three boys that support the club playing as the heart-beat of the team in the most important area of the park, sounds good to me.
Unfortunately, I have that feeling again, however, if Kenny Miller has the same performance and we get the same result again I won’t be complaining! If it is to be his last Old Firm game, maybe, just maybe it is Miller’s time….