Rangers: Jack Butland may only have himself to blame as distribution key reason for Ibrox uncertainty
Rangers may have to assess Jack Butland’s future this summer, and the main reason for that is his lack of skills in the distribution department.
Butland has been with the Light Blues for three seasons now and fans are aware that he is coming to the end of his career.
The shot-stopper has had success in England and the Premier League with the likes of Stoke City and Crystal Palace, but has only managed to win the Scottish Cup since joining Gers.
The 33-year-old has been criticised this season for weak saves, errors, but the main part that is lacking in his game, is his distribution.
Butland could lose his spot at Rangers, or even more seriously, lose his entire future with the Bears if he doesn’t clean up his act.
⚽Rangers match day ⚽
Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Rangers fixture.
What’s wrong with Jack Butland’s distribution?
Rangers have been linked with Sheffield Wednesday’s Pierce Charles, who could be an option that the 49ers look to bring to Ibrox this summer.
The young number one possesses great skills with the ball at his feet and demonstrates a new breed of modern-day goalkeepers, unlike Butland.
| Area of game | Stats |
| Matches | 32 |
| Saves | 94 |
| Goals prevented | 7.68 |
| Pass accuracy | 69.9% |
| Acted as sweeper | 23 |
As seen in the table above, Butland has a 69.9 per cent pass accuracy; however, the main issue with his distribution is that he is usually too slow with it.
Rangers miss out on building out from the back at the speed that Danny Rohl would like to, hence the links to his former keeper at Sheffield Wednesday, Charles.
Butland has made three errors that have led to a goal for the opposition this season, as his skills with the feet only look to be getting worse.
The difficult middle ground Rangers should find with Butland
Butland is still a fantastic keeper when it comes to one-on-one situations, but as explained by Gordon Dalziel last season, Rangers’ goalkeeping situation isn’t ideal.
Dalziel said, as quoted by Rangers News: “[It’s] A big issue. I really do. I think it’s a big, big issue.”
Fast forward 12 months, and that still seems to be the case.
The difficult thing with Butland is that he would be a very good shot-stopper to have as a bench option, but it’s time that the Bears start looking for replacements.
However, at his age and ability, he may still want first-team football, which may not be given to him in abundance at Ibrox past this campaign.
Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Rangers Insider Access
Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.