Allan McGregor conquered Maribor. Now he’ll be trying to do the same to the Russian town of Ufa.
Rangers resident goalkeeping force has had an eventful few months since rejoining his boyhood heroes. Particularly in Europe.
He made two important stops v Shkupi, was solid against Osijek and outwitted Oscar Tavares to oust Maribor. His defensive solidity, manner on the pitch and world-weary experience have been invaluable. And he’ll need to prove with worth again against Ufa if Rangers want to progress.
A big game player for Rangers
McGregor was famous for his big game performances the first-time round at Rangers. Insert Samaras penalty save here.
Greegsy always comes up trumps in the big games, with Maribor being the stand-out this year.
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But it’s not just about the saves. McGregor is a vocal, commanding presence in his 18-yard box and his influence can be seen throughout the game.
He guides the defenders in front of him and has so much experience in big games.
They don’t come much bigger than this.
Strong relationships building in defence
McGregor’s signing has helped the entire team, and none more so is this evident than in defence.
A newly thrown together backline of Goldson and Katic have benefitted massively from having McGregor behind them.
When both the goalkeeper and the defenders can trust each other, it means they can focus on their own tasks rather than worry about how others might perform. There’s trust, and it’s been huge for Rangers so far.
It has been the foundation of Rangers strong start to the season and will need to evident from the off against Ufa.
Allan McGregor, as the last line of the defence, will need another huge performance to see the Gers through.