Rangers face critical decisions on player acquisitions to maintain their playing style under manager Philippe Clement. BBC Sport pundit Kenny Miller believes the primary focus should be on securing a winger, even surpassing the need for a new striker.
Miller, expressing his views in the Daily Record on December 1, emphasized, “Rangers have to prioritize signing a winger. If you want to play a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation, you need wingers. There’s no question about it.” He acknowledged the importance of maintaining an attacking threat and the ability to put defenders on the back foot when playing with a formation that relies on wide players.
Despite Rangers’ substantial investment of around £13 million in strikers during the previous summer, Miller anticipates a more restrained approach in the upcoming transfer window. He stated, “Rangers spent a significant amount of money on forwards in the summer. It’s unlikely they’ll spend heavily in January.”
Highlighting the team’s recent performance, Miller noted that the deficiencies observed under former manager Michael Beale seem to resurface, particularly following consecutive 1-1 draws in games where Rangers were expected to secure victories.
The absence of quality wide players has been a lingering concern since the departures of Ryan Kent and Fashion Sakala in the summer. While the emergence of Ross McCausland has offered some hope, Clement’s tactical decisions have come under scrutiny.
Miller questioned Clement’s choices, pointing out the need for deploying attacking options in their optimal positions. He remarked on the questionable decision to move Todd Cantwell to the wing and include Sam Lammers in the lineup against Aris Limassol, a move that resulted in Lammers being substituted after just 36 minutes.
With players like Rabbi Matondo and Abdallah Sima available, Miller believes there is potential for effective wide play if deployed in their preferred positions. Fans, however, express their desire for a more effective goal-scorer, raising concerns about Clement’s team selections and the need for rectifying mistakes made in the past.
As the January transfer window approaches, Rangers face a delicate balancing act to address their deficiencies and secure the necessary reinforcements, with a winger emerging as the top priority according to Kenny Miller.