Rangers to start at least four new arrivals vs Kilmarnock with another signing on the way – BBC pundit
Kenny Miller expects Michael Beale to start “a minimum of four new signings” when Rangers kick off the campaign against Kilmarnock.
The Light Blues SPFL campaign gets under way on Saturday 5 August against Kilmarnock, and with so many men brought in this summer the former Gers striker believes a host of summer arrivals will be in the line up from the get-go, with Jose Cifuentes soon to become the ninth addition.
But Miller has warned that the scale of the overhaul in the squad can’t be used as an excuse to get off to slow start as the club have to go into the first Celtic clash with maximum points.
In his Daily Record column on Sunday (30 July) the BBC pundit wrote: “Six weeks into the campaign – if they’ve dropped points – they can’t be saying: ‘It’s a new group, it’ll take time’.
“The point might be valid. But in Glasgow, it’s just an excuse and you won’t get away with it. Rangers have been in control of this situation. They knew the revamp was coming. And these players must make an impact from the off.
“Against Kilmarnock, I expect a minimum of four new signings to start and they need to have improved the Rangers team from last season. But if they don’t make an impression early on, they’re going to feel the heat.
“The first Old Firm game is four weeks in. If Rangers don’t have nine points on the board there will be an air of negativity going into it.”
On the extensive business he added: “For any manager, the ideal scenario every summer is to bring in four new players to an existing, successful squad. But Rangers are on the verge of taking their tally up to nine with Danilo secured and Jose Cifuentes on the way.”
Time to do the talking
It’s fair to say that the past two preseason friendlies have dampened expectations slightly after the wave of successes in the transfer market.
Signing Danilo from Feyenoord has really raised hopes for the attack, but the defence has suddenly confirmed some the worst fears of the more pessimistic end of the Rangers fanbase.
In back to back outings against Olympiacos and Hoffenheim Borna Barisic and Ridvan Yilmaz respectively have had nightmare games at left-back, and the injury hit centre-back group has flattered to deceive, with Ben Davies coming under fire.
Dujon Sterling was seen as cover for left-back if pushed but is now a genuine possibility to be one of the new signings who starts the opener, while Leon Balogun could feasibly be in the starting XI after both Davies and John Souttar missed the 2-2 Hoffenheim draw on Saturday (29 July).
Beale has spoken about deliberately organising tough friendlies and if the first few results of the season are positive then fears should subside.
But after so much good work this summer the defensive options are at risk of undermining it if they don’t pull themselves together pretty quickly.
In other Rangers news, talks are in progress for another multimillion pound exit from Ibrox before the window closes.