Kris Boyd slams ’embarrassing’ Rangers development before Aberdeen victory
Rangers recorded a 4-0 victory over Aberdeen at Ibrox on Sunday, which came as some relief in what has been a dismal season.
Barry Ferguson failed to win his first seven home games in charge before finally tasting victory against Aberdeen, which put a small smile back on the faces of fans.
It was a dismal few weeks for Rangers, and their recent form has seen them fall to a lot of poor domestic results.
The biggest problem in the team has been the defence, and Rangers legend Kris Boyd has now slammed the back line – albeit ahead of the clean sheet being kept against Aberdeen.
Boyd slams Rangers defence after recent run
Rangers headed into the game against Aberdeen with one of the worst defensive records in the entire Scottish Premiership in the last 10 games.
Until the game against Aberdeen, Rangers had failed to keep a single clean sheet in 10 games, ranked 10th for goals conceded, and made the most errors leading to shots and goals in the division.
Speaking on Sky Sports (11 May, 11:40pm) ahead of the Aberdeen game, Boyd slammed this record, and stated that inexperience could not be used as an excuse for his old side.
| Rangers – final fixtures | Date |
| Dundee United (H) | 14 May |
| Hibernian (A) | 17 May |
“That’s where Rangers have struggled. You look at those numbers and it’s embarrassing,” Boyd fumed.
“Let’s not get away from it. People could say you know in terms of a young squad – [John] Souttar’s not a young player.
“I mean he’s been over the course of this year – a Scotland international – everybody’s saying he’s been Rangers best player alongside Raskin.
“[Leon] Balogun’s what, 37. Jefte’s 21, he might be classed as a younger player. [James] Tavernier’s 33.”
Rangers need defensive rebuild in summer
The Rangers squad is currently imbalanced at the back, with a wide range of age profiles across the back line.
Although a mixture of experience and youth is a positive, Balogun and Tavernier are not getting any younger, and successors for both could be targeted in the summer.
Rangers need a consistent back four next season, and the defence must be strengthened as a priority.
49ers Enterprises are set to complete a takeover of the club, and when they do, they must back the new manager with the right signings in defence.
Souttar’s previous experience in Scotland, as well as his age, should be the benchmark for whoever Rangers target next to play alongside him, and a solid centre-back partnership can provide the building blocks for the whole team.