Peter Grant has told Rangers the big issue they face when coming up against Aberdeen – after noticing it at Celtic.
Jimmy Thelin’s men remain neck and neck at the top of the Premiership table with Brendan Rodgers’ team after downing Dundee United in front of a packed out Pittodrie in front of the TV cameras last weekend. They are back on the box under the lights at home this midweek in front of another sell-out crowd when Rangers come calling with the chance to put NINE points between themselves and the Glasgow giants in the table after just ten games. That is a scenario that just can’t happen for legendary Ibrox skipper Barry Ferguson who has told his old club to go and ‘shut a few people up’ and claim all three points.
Looking ahead to the midweek battle, Celtic hero Grant has expressed his concern over the Rangers backline. He reckons that the area that any team should be at their strongest is in fact the weakest point of the Light Blues’ side currently. And one telling sign from Wednesday’s hosts at Parkhead in the 2-2 draw between the top two has him issuing a major warning to the men from Govan.
He told Go Radio: “The thing that worries me about Rangers is I think they keep changing their backline. I think that is so, so important when you are trying to build a team. The goalkeeper and your back four are predominantly are the strength of your team. For me, at this moment in time, it looks the weakest as they don’t know who it is going to be.
“I know they’ve had injuries at full-back but the centre back pairing? I am not sure he knows what he wants in there and that is vital. Going to Pittodrie, they’ve got pace in the front line and make you defend quickly. I noticed it at Celtic Park, they turn you around quickly and run away from you. That could be a big issue for me.”
Rangers hero Ferguson reckons Clement must pair Neraysho Kasanwirjo at the heart of the backline with Leon Balogun for the crucial match – if John Souttar remains unavailable. The former Ibrox skipper has been impressed with the summer signing when he has seen him in action and believes he must get the nod in the Granite City.
He said: “John Souttar is touch and go. I don’t know the injury situation but if Souttar is not fit Kasanwirjo has to go into centre-half. He has to play there. I have been impressed with him. I was impressed with him again at right-back and went into the centre-back position when Tavernier came on for Propper. So if Souttar is not fit to play, they have to make a big decision in the centre-back area and I think it has to be Kasanwirjo and Balogun.”
On the magnitude of the game in just over 48 hours’ time, he added: “This one on Wednesday night is absolutely massive for Rangers. My mind set going up there is there is absolute no chance I am letting it go to nine points or stay at six points.
“That is the attitude you have to have. All credit to Aberdeen, they’ve had a fantastic start to the season and digging out some really good results. It is going to be tough, there is no doubt.
“But Rangers need to go and basically shut a few people up and go and show you’ve got the mentality, character and personality to go to a place like Pittodrie and make sure you come back down the road with three points. “