Saturday was one of those days for Philippe Clement’s Rangers team, a day when almost every player looked to have forgotten their shooting boots
Former Auchenhowie kid, Liam Kelly, had his say between the sticks but the Gers boss was right to highlight that we created more than enough chances to win had we been as clinical as the week before against Hearts.
One of the goal scorers at Ibrox last week was Fabio Silva who should have levelled the scores before half-time, a miss that ex-Rangers winger Neil McCann feels a more prolific forward would have taken.
Fabio Silva given Rangers analysis from Neil McCann
It was the debate of the January transfer window.
Do Rangers need another striker and one who is a more regular goal scorer?
Lawrence Shankland was the name most linked and, with 27 goals to his name now, it’s easy to see why with Scott Allan believing it was an opportunity missed.
It might work out better him staying at Hearts if he continues to score goals against Celtic though!
Speaking on BBC Sportscene, McCann was analsying the numerous chances that Rangers missed including the one where Fabio Silva fires straight at Kelly with the goal gaping:
“I just feel at times, Silva doesn’t get across the front post.
“He’s had umpteen chances, I mean, that should be buried.
“A natural born goal scorer, these are in the back of the net and Rangers don’t succumb to that defeat that they’ve suffered today.”
In Silva’s defence, he was probably Rangers best player on a dismal afternoon and the one who looked most likely to make something happen.
Playing off the left-hand side of the attack seemed to suit the 21-year old and, with Oscar Cortes, Rabbi Matondo and Abdallah Sima all out injured, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him continue the in the coming fixtures.
McCann is right though.
Kelly made several top class stops but there were also several moments when he shouldn’t have been able to make the save in the first place.
Cyriel Dessers even managed to block two goal bound efforts from his own teammates – he had one of “those” days.
Kemar Roofe is nearing full fitness and, for all that he can’t be relied upon for every game, he only has a few months left on his Rangers contract.
If he is available, especially in the league, then he should play, it’s as simple as that.
The 31-year old is the best finisher who Philippe Clement can call on and I’d have put my mortgage on him taking any number of the chances his fellow forwards missed.
Shankland saw that a disaster was averted but had he been in the famous Light Blue shirt this weekend instead of the maroon of Hearts, we might not have needed a favour in the first place.
