Ben Foster offers Jack Butland verdict as Rangers keeper still Premier League level
Ben Foster has offered his verdict on Jack Butland, suggesting that the Rangers goalkeeper is still at the level required to play in the Premier League.
Butland was one of nine new additions at Ibrox this summer after his contract at Crystal Palace expired and has been an ever-present between the posts in Michael Beale’s side and while other new arrivals have struggled the 30-year-old has impressed.
Against Celtic in Sunday’s (3 September) Old Firm derby, the former England international made three saves and alongside Joe Hart who started for the Hoops impressed Foster who was keen to sing both stoppers’ praises.
Speaking on The Football Fill-In (5 September), he said: “We had two ex-England international goalkeepers playing for both teams. All from the school of David Watson (former England goalkeeping coach). All good lads, they are proper goalies these lads.
“They could be playing in the Premier League, they could, genuinely.”
Starts from the back
Rangers needed to ensure they had a goalkeeper who was capable of providing consistent displays between the posts this year to give them any chance of winning the Scottish Premiership. While a lot of Beale’s recruitment this summer can be scrutinised, Butland has been precisely that.
Allan McGregor and Robby McCrorie shared keeping duties last season and while neither was awful, McGregor had quite clearly passed his best while questions remain over whether or not McCrorie is cut out to the Light Blues number one.
So far this season, Butland has managed to keep two clean sheets in four league matches for the Gers, making ten saves and only conceding two goals and even in the disastrous cup tie against PSV, he made six saves in the second leg, potentially ensuring the score line didn’t become even more embarrassing (Fotmob).
The 30-year-old is only likely to get better as well, having last played in the Premier League in the 2021/22 season, he will probably still be developing his match sharpness and if he can become even better than he has been in the early stages of the season, Beale will have a very reliable number one.
Hopefully, he won’t be the only new signing to come good at Ibrox and the other new arrivals will find their feet following the international break in a similar fashion to Butland.
There is no doubt that the keeper was a bargain deal.
In other Rangers news, Todd Cantwell has spoken out following the Gers’ defeat to Celtic, calling silence “cowardly”