Jack Butland has made some high-profile Rangers errors in recent times.
The goalkeeper was to blame vs Hibs for the opening goal while other moments have come under the microscope since.
So it’s little wonder some fans and pundits are calling for the Englishman to be left out by Barry Ferguson for the massive Europa League clash with Athletic Club tomorrow evening.
For Scott Arfield, though, the ex-Ibrox midfielder believes the stopper is too experienced to rotate in a game of this magnitude.
Scott Arfield says Rangers can’t drop Jack Butland for Athletic Club
And although he accepts there have been issues Butland must stomp out, it’s a match that may be too important to have Liam Kelly start due to his lack of minutes this season.
“Barry Ferguson has some big decisions to make of course,” Arfield wrote in his Daily Record column. “There are people suggesting he has to drop Jack Butland and I get that.
“But this is not the time for me. It’s too big a call for a match like this and it could cause more harm than good to all concerned.
“I could perhaps see the thinking if Butland played tomorrow and then Kelly comes in for Pittodrie on Sunday. It’s just too big a risk for the first leg.
“This might be a game that suits Butland. He’s produced some top performances in Europe and sometimes keepers prefer it when they’re busier.
“It could definitely be a busy night for him at Ibrox but, who knows, that might be the kind of game he needs right now to give him a bit of confidence back.
“There is an argument for Butland to come out of the team. He’s a quality keeper but he’s going through a tough spell. But I just feel his experience will be necessary for Bilbao and it’s a tough game to throw Liam Kelly into.”
Rangers’ 12th man must come into play in Europa League again
Arfield was part of Rangers‘ incredible run to the Europa League Final in 2022 and knows that even when the club aren’t always performing domestically, a flick “switches” on the bigger stage.
And despite Athletic Club posing a difficult task in front of them, the 36-year-old expects the fans to bring the noise and turn it up on the Basque outfit.
That, the Canadian international says, could act as the 12th man they’ve been for years now.
“It’s been happening for a while now but there is a switch that gets flicked when it comes to Europe. There are probably dozens of reasons why the league form doesn’t match up to European performances,” he added.
| Jack Butland 2024/5 |
| Played: 42 |
| Goals conceded: 48 |
| Clean sheets: 14 |
“But that’s also why Rangers fans can be optimistic this week. It almost doesn’t matter what went on against Hibs on Saturday. It can be forgotten.
“Everything about Europe feels different. Even the stadium looks different with UEFA slapping their logos and sponsorship over everything. There’s also the underdog factor. There’s no doubt Rangers perform better when they are up against it.
“They revel in the underdog tag and going back to the team I was involved in, it’s a club that regularly punches above its weight in this environment.
“We’ve seen it in Europe and against Celtic. When they’re facing top sides they’re more able to adapt their game and cause these teams problems.
“I’ve no doubt they can do it again with Bilbao. I’ve got a feeling this could be another special night.”
