Connor Goldson praises key Rangers pair who have ‘helped the team out massively’
Connor Goldson spoke to the press ahead of the match against Aberdeen and took time to single out two of his Rangers teammates for praise.
The defender praised Filip Helander and summer signing Leon Balogun, though he did not go as far as saying who his preferred partner was.
Steven Gerrard’s side have conceded just five goals in 22 league games, and Goldson feels that is due to a slight alteration in the style of play.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s fixture, the 28-year-old said, “I’m enjoying playing with Leon, a really good defender and very athletic. I feel like we are locking teams in and not letting teams attack us as much as they like.
“Both Filip and Leon have helped the team out massively and have been brilliant.
“We know how important clean sheets are, [it] allows us to require the one goal to win each game but it is not just the defence, the full team works hard to get our clean sheets.”
Competition for places
Gerrard’s defensive recruits in recent years have proved very shrewd business, so much so that he now has a healthy selection headache.
Goldson is very much the number one choice at centre-back, and despite partnering with Balogun and Helander almost 50/50, Rangers have remained steady at the back.
More than steady in fact, since the Gers also kept three clean sheets in six Europa League games.
Balogun’s arrival has proved a brilliant deal. A return of 2.8 aerial duels and 1.4 interceptions won per game (WhoScored) is impressive considering how often Rangers dominate their league opponents.
In Europe, the 32-year-old has arguably been even better, averaging 6.2 clearances per game, and keeping possession effectively with 90% pass accuracy.
He is kept on his toes by Helander, though, who boasts a WhoScored average rating of 7.22 in the league.
Such options breed confidence, and provides a platform that the rest of the team can trust and build upon.
When viewed in such a light, it is little surprise that Rangers have lost just once this term.
In other Rangers news, Kris Boyd has delivered a frank verdict on recent performances.