Ibrox View: Rangers stopper McCrorie is ready for bigger loan test next season
The signing of Jon McLaughlin has added an interesting new dimension to the goalkeeping pecking order at Rangers.
With Wes Foderingham leaving, space was opened up for new number two, but the arrival of the 32-year-old has made it clear that Steven Gerrard is at least open to the possibility of sending Robby McCrorie back out on loan next term.
After impressing at both Queen of the South and Livingston last season, the 22-year-old has proven that he is a capable custodian, and it’s hard to imagine him or Rangers settling for him wasting his time in the reserves next term.
But just how high can he set his sights in 2020/21?
The stats would suggest that he could really make a significant step in his career.
As per Wyscout, the youngster has averaged 3.03 saves per game this term, with a reflex rate of 55.4%.
That’s more saves than Allan McGregor, and only 0.3% lower than the veteran stopper’s reflex save rate.
McCrorie has also conceded less than a goal a game, despite having an xCG of 1.11.
That means that he is consistently saving shots that he is not expected to.
His long passing is 6.5% better than McGregor’s, and completes 1.35 more exits too.
Above is McCrorie’s save map from Livingston’s 1-1 draw against Hibernian earlier this season.
As you can see, all five stops are reflex saves, with number two in particular carrying a singular xG of 0.81.
That means that over four out of five times, you would expect that to hit the back of the net.
In total, McCrorie’s xCG in that game was 2.66, but he conceded just one.
Quite literally, he won his side a point in that match.
Taking all of that into account, we think that McCrorie is ready for a real challenge.
Why not send him out to England next season?
With Premier League interest from the likes of West Ham, it’s clear that the youngster is going to be highly sought after talent in the very near future, so why not send him out to a Championship club to really test his mettle?
He’s clearly ready, and it could be the making of him.
In other Rangers news, ‘Happy days’ – Many Gers fans delighted by announcement on new deal for Stephen Kelly.