It can always be dangerous to look too much into pre-season games. And when it’s only half a game? Even more dangerous. But that is all the Rangers fans have to go on after their first friendly match of the summer ended in farcical circumstances as it was abandoned at half-time due to a floodlight failure at the Estadio Municipal de Albufeira.
New players are often written off on the basis of a poor performance in pre-season as snap judgements are made on that big money signing - only to then flourish when the real action begins. It can be very harsh at times but it has always been the way.
The Rangers players will have plenty of other opportunities to impress the boss but, aside from the training sessions in their warm weather training camp in the Algarve, Giovanni van Bronckhorst only has 45 minutes to go on against Sunderland and that will be the case until their trip to the seaside to face Blackpool on July 16 followed by home friendlies against West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
And it wasn’t a great half of football from the Europa League finalists and Scottish Cup winners as they blew off the cobwebs with the Light Blues trailing the Black Cats 1-0 when the game was suspended through Luke O'Nein's strike. In fact, when Premier Sports coverage cut out - just adding to a miserable night for armchair fans - the Gers supporters watching at home didn’t miss much. But here Record Sport looks at some of the things we learned from the 45 minutes.
Glove lost
There has been so much debate over the goalkeeping position - not just this summer but even stretching back to last season. Many fans felt Jon McLaughlin was due a run in the team when Allan McGregor was off form. Then, when it looked like McGregor was heading for the exit, McLaughlin was touted for the No. 1 spot with Robby McCrorie moving up.
However, that all changed when McGregor signed a new deal. Some believe McLaughlin should still be the first choice and he started against his old club but didn’t look too clever as he came for Alex Pritchard’s corner but failed to collect the all which led to the only goal of the game. Had McGregor made the same mistake you can bet he would have come in for heavy criticism.
Wright stuff
There weren’t many bright spots for Rangers as darkness descended but Scott Wright was probably the pick of the punch for Van Bronckhorst’s men. The former Aberdeen man ended the season on a high with his goal in the Scottish Cup final and picked up where he left off, looking threatening every time he picked up the ball. He has been on the fringes during his time at Ibrox but when if he can find his top form then he could be a big player this season.
Niko’s time ticking
This was Niko Katic’s first outing in a Rangers first team jersey in over two years following injury and a loan spell back in Croatia. This is make or break for him in terms of his Ibrox career and that decision won’t be based on 45 minutes against Alex Neil’s Mackems.
But the defender didn’t show much in the first half to convince fans who are split on whether he has a long term future. His distribution was poor and with competition fierce in central defence and Leon King emerging, it’s hard to see him contributing much.
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