Allan McGregor’s saves this season have consistently been lauded, but Rangers’ back-line has to make sure they stop getting brought up.
The Rangers number one was in the headlines once again this week. A couple of stunning stops to keep out Villarreal’s Karl Toko Ekambi meant that Rangers nabbed a terrific draw on Thursday night’s Europa League clash.
McGregor has been making some terrific saves in the majority of Rangers’ Europa League games. Keeping 10 clean sheets in 25 Gers appearances is no mean feet, and he deserves the praise he’s receiving.
But, one thing that’s continuously being overlooked is how sloppy the defence has been recently. If it wasn’t for McGregor’s heroics between the sticks, the back-line would be getting a lot more stick than it is.
Steven Gerrard has still to stand by a preferred combination at the heart of the Gers defence. Connor Goldson has had to partner Nikola Katic, Joe Worrall, and Gareth McAuley in recent weeks. It looks as though McAuley will eventually be the man to sort that out, but Worrall did start the Villarreal clash.
Careless mistakes
Sloppy errors from the likes of Worrall, Jon Flanagan, and James Tavernier have nearly proved costly in recent weeks. Fortunately for the entire defence, McGregor has been producing some simply unreal performances.
It’s a huge change from when nobody could stop praising the Rangers defence at the start of the season. Shipping just three goals in nine games at the beginning of the campaign had many showering the back-line with praise. The club also kept six clean sheets in that run too.
Gerrard’s chopping and changing of the defence, however, could come back to haunt him. Rangers need a settled back-four in there, especially heading into a crucial December period.
Games against Hearts, Aberdeen, Hibernian, and Celtic all await this month. Continuing to defend the way Rangers have done will lead to a lot more work needing done by McGregor. He’s capable, but not unbeatable. Rangers can’t allow themselves to think that, if worse comes to worst, McGregor will save them.
Instead, they need to start working on their concentration levels at the back. The errors are sloppy and needless, and can but cut out very easily.
McGregor has deserved all of the praise that’s come his way in recent times. In truth, however, Rangers have to make sure it all calms down.
