Keith Jackson slams Rangers transfer decision after defensive crisis
Rangers find themselves in a bit of a crisis at the back, and Keith Jackson has slammed the club’s transfer decision.
The Daily Record columnist has suggested (17 October, page 44) the decision to sell Leon Balogun and Nikola Katic has come back to haunt the Gers.
Conor Goldson is currently out injured, and Leon King was used in defence alongside Ben Davies at the back against Motherwell on Sunday.
While commenting on whether Rangers need to sign free agents to pepper their defensive crisis in January, Jackson wrote – “Probably but this is a mess of Rangers’ own making. The decision to let Leon Balogun and to a lesser extent Nikola Katic leave in the summer has come back to bite them.
“Banking on Filip Helander and John Souttar staying fit for any length of time was bordering on stupidity.”
Spot on
Jackson is absolutely spot on here. The Gers find themselves in a serious crisis at the moment, after Goldson picked up an injury against Liverpool.
We saw how badly the Bears crumbled under pressure once Goldson left the pitch. They lost their shape and discipline at the back.
Against Motherwell, King was asked to play at the back. Davies has been outstanding during the game, and King did well in parts too, although he was probably lucky to be on the pitch.
King is a fantastic young talent, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst rates him highly. But he is inexperienced.
James Sands is another option for the Dutchman, and he can do a decent job.
With Goldson expected to be out a while, and likewise Souttar, the Gers will have to delve into the January market to sign another defender.
They should have planned properly in the summer, especially after losing a strong defender like Calvin Bassey. Getting rid of Katic and Balogun was probably a big mistake made by the club.
In other Rangers news, an official partner of the Gers has called on the board to sack van Bronckhorst and Ross Wilson.