Rangers strikers analysed with ‘More chances, more goals’ myth put to test

Since I was old enough to read about Rangers, anytime we signed a striker, the average quote that would come from them would be something along the lines of “I’ve come to Rangers to score more goals, there are more chances created playing for this club”.

I’m going to look at our last few Rangers strikers and what their goal scoring record has been domestically and assess how Rangers opposition in Scottish Football sets up against us.

Do Rangers strikers score more goals?

To me it’s a bit of a myth as playing against teams with a low block every week in the SPFL, chances are very few and far between. It’s been a few years now since we have had 25 goals scored by a striker in one domestic season. Is this down to a low block every week? Or Rangers as a team creating the correct chances for the type of striker, we have playing up front.

In the last five years, we have been a team that have created chances mostly from our full backs getting high up the park and delivering crosses into the box. I’ve noticed on some occasions, the centre midfielders holding the ball in the middle of the park until the full backs are in a good enough position to receive it. This, to me allows the opposition defence to get organised and in a position to receive the cross.

This has been a style that has been slow, frustrating, although effective at times but not with a high chance creation. How are strikers supposed to score more goals if all they are feeding off is crosses and loose balls in the box?

Rangers don’t seem to enjoy beating a man and playing a simple pass with the space that’s been created. Thankfully this team has Todd Cantwell who is willing to break lines to make things happen, but its only with players like the 25-year-old Englishman that the strikers are going to get good service.

Our team has a style of play that needs the centre forward to work the centre backs to create space. Our new frontman signed from Cremonese in the summer, Cyriel Dessers needs to do this more. While he has had an impact since signing, he needs to be more mobile in moving the centre backs around the park as this is what is demanded of a forward in today’s game.

In Danilo we have a more goal scoring threat up top as he has a good goal contribution ratio thus far. He has missed glaring opportunities when presented but if we create chances for the Brazilian striker, he will get us goals. If we can get our creative players in good positions, I believe we will cause SPFL defences some trouble. With Rangers captain James Tavernier being our biggest goal contributor in recent seasons, this is something that other players in the team need to be challenging the English full back on.

Do Rangers need a winger?

I believe we need a Ryan Kent type winger as the former Rangers player was a pivotal ball carrier and created space for other players. We do have Rabbi Matondo but due to the inconsistencies in his game, I feel we need another winger who can goal contribute. Like I said earlier we need to beat players to create space and we need someone with a level of unpredictability on the ball to have opposition full backs second guessing.

Alfredo Morelos

The Columbian international striker was the last player to hit 20+ goals in the 2018/2019 season for Rangers. The 27-year-old scored 25 goals across all domestic competitions that season in what was a prolific campaign for the Columbian. The talisman was prolific in front of goal that year and was the LAST attacker to score 20+ across a domestic season for Rangers. The powerful hitman remains on a free transfer at present as his form dropped towards the end of his time at Ibrox. The forward’s role was changed in the seasons there after with former manager Steven Gerrard asking Morelos to drop a bit deeper and spend less time in the box.

Kemar Roofe

Roofe has been the most clinical finisher at the club for the last 3+ years, scoring 26 goals in 50 appearances for the club. Unfortunately for the Jamaican hitman he can’t appear to stay injury free, now that Michael Beale and the Dr are back, I’m confident to see a lot more of Roofe in a Rangers jersey this season. In my opinion it is not the number of chances created that makes Roofe a clinical striker, its how good a finisher he is in front of goal. If he is given 2 chances per game, he is at least going to score one of them.

Summary

In summary, if we beat players in opposition teams, we are going to create more chances. It really is that simple. We have a good squad of players who need to gel together and find a brand of football that’s effective around a low block. With the return to fitness of Tom Lawrence and Kemar Roofe we should see a more prolific season for our strikers as we should be able to create a variety of chances with the players Rangers manager Michael Beale has at his disposal this term.