Nick McPheat has raised the alarm over Rangers’ continued struggles in front of goal, comparing their scoring woes to the firepower of rivals Celtic.
The Gers currently sit third in the Scottish Premiership, nine points adrift of both Aberdeen and Celtic, as their title hopes begin to fade.
Writing for BBC Sport (15 November), McPheat did not mince his words regarding Rangers’ faltering campaign, labelling their performances as “unconvincing.”
“Despite returning to winning ways in the league last weekend, goalscoring remains a concern for Rangers,” he stated.
“Philippe Clement’s men went into the international break with three points, but the nature of their laboured 1-0 victory over Hearts at Ibrox has become the theme of their unconvincing season.
“One reason for that is quite simple – they have not scored enough. The fact St Mirren, Dundee and Dundee United all have more than Rangers’ league tally of 16 goals paints a bleak picture.
“Granted, those three clubs have played more games than Clement’s side, but both Dundee teams still boast a better goals-per-game ratio.
“Meanwhile, leaders Celtic have scored almost double their city rivals’ amount and Aberdeen are eight ahead.”
January Striker Hunt Crucial
Clement’s summer overhaul at Ibrox saw experienced heads depart and a wave of younger talent arrive. While some, like Connor Barron, have seamlessly adjusted, others are still finding their feet.
Hamza Igamane, the Moroccan striker brought in to bolster the attack, remains a raw prospect. Although he’s shown glimpses of potential, he’s not yet ready to challenge Cyriel Dessers for a regular starting berth.
McPheat argues that Rangers’ failure to adequately strengthen their forward line in the summer has come back to haunt them.
“One of Clement’s priority areas for strengthening in the summer should have been his number nine role,” McPheat wrote. “Even though the Morocco international was brought in, he’s far from ready.”
Unless Rangers act decisively in January and recruit a proven goal scorer, McPheat believes their title ambitions will remain out of reach.
“Unless Clement brings in another striker who’s ready for first-team action in January, it feels like he may as well kiss Rangers’ title hopes goodbye.”
With Celtic and Aberdeen both firing on all cylinders, Rangers face a tough road ahead unless their attacking fortunes improve significantly.