Rangers: Joshua Barrie makes ‘light’ in defence claim

Journalist Joshua Barrie has criticised the depth of Rangers’ squad, claiming that Michael Beale’s side is ‘light’ on defensive options.

The Lowdown: Injury woes

The Scottish Premiership club currently have four available centre-backs, with John Souttar and Filip Helander currently sidelined with injuries.

Rangers boast the second-best defensive record in the league, but they almost let a goal in every game on average, conceding 22 goals from 23 matches.

Meanwhile, their only arrivals in January were in midfield, with Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin adding to Beale’s options at Ibrox.

The Latest: ‘Light’ on defenders

Speaking on The Rangers Review, Barrie claimed that there’s not enough cover there and it would be risky to rely on Souttar, who’s still currently out injured.

He stated: “The centre of defence is maybe a little bit light. You’re banking on John Souttar getting back, and after he’s missed the first whole half of the season, I think that’s a bit of a risky ploy.”

The Verdict: One for the summer

We believe that for now, Rangers just about have enough cover for the centre-back position. However, Beale should look to provide more depth in the summer window.

The Gers faithful have seen very little of Souttar since his arrival was announced in January of last year. In our view, he should be given some opportunities in the backline when he’s back to full fitness to see if he can be a useful option for Rangers.

Ex-footballer Simon Donnelly tipped the defender for big things when he arrived at Ibrox, claiming that Souttar could become a ‘big player’ for the Gers when speaking on the Go Radio Football Show back in May.

There is one concern about the Scot’s future with the club, as Souttar has had a career plagued by a large number of injuries. One school of thought could be it’s only a matter of time before the 26-year-old is once again on the sidlines.

Whatever the outcome is, we trust Beale to get it right. The two new additions he signed last month certainly look to be young and promising talents so perhaps he has an eye for an adequate alternative if he needs a more long-term option. In our view, he will get the assessment on his defence correct when the summer rolls around.