Kemar Roofe is ‘best finisher Rangers have’ as goalless draw plays out at Dundee
James McFadden claimed that Kemar Roofe is “the best finisher” at Rangers ahead of the Gers’ 0-0 draw with Dundee at Dens Park on 17 April.
Roofe made his first start since 20 December against St. Johnstone, when he was forced off after just 16 minutes with an injury.
However, McFadden believes the 31-year-old is the sharpest marksman at Rangers and even claimed that the Jamaica international would have scored chances that Cyriel Dessers failed to take in the 3-2 defeat at Ross County.
Speaking live on Sky Sports Football, he said: “Clearly he’s fit enough to train every day and be available. I think that if Kemar Roofe had one of the two chances that Dessers had at the weekend [against Ross County], he’d have scored one of them at least.
“I can say that because I think that he would have scored them, I’m projecting that he would have scored them. He’s a better finisher.
“So if Kemar Roofe – we know he’s good at holding up the play, we know he’s good at leading the line, if he can just get into the game and you give him chances, I think he can take them, because he’s the best finisher that they have.
“I think that it’s not unusual, Philippe Clement normally makes a lot of changes anyway, and I think that maybe that’s within his thinking that, if they can get opportunities, Kemar Roofe’s more likely to take them instead of Dessers.”
Is Kemar Roofe the best finisher Rangers have?
Roofe proved himself a reliable goalscorer after joining from Anderlecht ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, scoring 10 goals in 19 Scottish Premiership appearances totalling 1,150 minutes.
The former Leeds United striker followed that up with another 10-goal haul in the league in only 995 minutes, spread across 21 outings.
However, his 2022/23 campaign was essentially a write-off due to injury and his 2023/24 season has been similarly blighted by fitness problems.
Availability has been Roofe’s greatest weakness since arriving in Scotland – his goals-per-minute ratio has been exceptional, but the forward has never managed to cement himself as a regular starter.
He was given a rare opportunity against Dundee but was unable to make the breakthrough in his 56 minutes on the field.
As the season draws to a close, Rangers could surely do with Roofe’s knack for scoring goals – even if he doesn’t spend all that much time on the pitch.
In other Rangers news, James Bisgrove has detailed the outcome of Old Firm talks with the Police, Sky and the SPFL.
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