If you don’t shoot, you don’t score.
Or in Rangers ’ case over the last 180 minutes of league action, if you DO shoot, you still don’t score.
Gio van Bronckhorst’s side have had SIXTY attempts on goal in their last two Premiership matches against Dundee United and Motherwell and have found the net just three times.
Both matches have ended in draws and the spillage of four points added to Celtic leading the title race by three, it doesn’t take a genius to work out how damaging that conversion rate of one in 20 chances could be come the end of the season.
Ally McCoist has watched Rangers stutter domestically since the winter break, while making the rest of Europe sit up and take notice with their defeat of Borussia Dortmund.
And while there’s little doubt that in his own playing days he’d have been feasting on the chances scorned in the league recently, the Ibrox legend is refusing to be overly concerned.
The Gers icon, now one of Britain’s leading pundits, believes Van Bronckhorst will be frustrated but would be far more worried if his side wasn’t playing well and creating chances.
The lack of ruthlessness at the sharp end of the park has been drawn more into focus by the ease in which the Rangers defence is allowing goals to be scored by opponents who are getting only a fraction of the opportunities the champions are missing at the moment.
Allan McGregor’s role in both goals conceded against Motherwell now means the keeper – rated by McCoist as one of the top two best in Rangers’ history with Andy Goram – is now under scrutiny with a growing clamour for No.2 Jon McLaughlin to come in.
But McCoist believes that if his former club gets it right at the other end of the pitch then the debate about keepers wouldn’t be front and centre of most fans’ minds.
And he is adamant the goals will start to flow again, particularly as Alfredo Morelos has hit a streak of form that has the former Rangers manager believing the Colombian is now a much more complete striker than the one who announced himself to the Scottish public with a blizzard of goals and red cards in his first two seasons.
The goals haven’t exactly dried up, with 35 since the start of last season – and McCoist’s European club scoring record eclipsed with Morelos now on 28 in continental competition.
However, the improvement in the South American’s discipline and in his overall game has the club legend convinced that the former HJK Helsinki star will have a massive say in the destination of the title.
“He has so far been a fantastic servant to the club and recently, more than any other period since he’s been there, Rangers have realised just how much they need him,” McCoist told Record Sport .
“I don’t think there’s any doubt about that because when Alfredo Morelos is not in the team, Rangers aren’t as dangerous or as strong.
“His level of finishing, and in particular in some of the games in Europe, has been fantastic. Earlier in his Rangers career, he was costing himself games with his discipline.
“He was costing himself goals as well, because no matter how good you are, you can’t score them when you’re sitting in the stand suspended, as he was far too often a few seasons ago.
“I’m hoping that was a phase and he’s gone through it now. He was younger, remember, but it was a frustration for Steven Gerrard at the time.
“We all make mistakes, and we all continue to make mistakes, and I’m loathe to say he’s past that stage because he’s always got a fire burning in him but he looks a lot calmer.
“At the same time, though, he still has to have that edge. He’s one of those players who, if he plays without that edge, he is nowhere near as effective.
“He’s got to play his game on the edge but he is handling the discipline thing a lot better and he will still get his goals.
“In terms of his link up play, particularly against Dortmund where I thought the team was excellent and the away leg was the best I’ve seen in years from a Rangers side, outwith his goal and the effort that led to the own goal, he was outstanding.
“He’ll continue to get these chances but I am really pleased with his overall play, working defenders, getting his body in front, winning free-kicks to get his team up the park and giving his own defenders a rest. That, for me, has certainly improved.”
Morelos was the subject of a debate on Twitter recently about whether he has done enough to earn the ‘legend’ status afforded to the likes of McCoist and so many Rangers greats of the past.
The 59-year-old broke into his trademark grin when asked whether the Colombian is worthy of the accolade.
“I can’t believe you’re asking me that,” he laughed. “It’s not for me to say but I do think circumstances have been a little bit unfair on him because the team is still in a building process, whereas our team that won nine in a row and had a lot of fantastic players who people say are legends and were winning league titles and cups on a regular basis.
“It’s unfortunate for Alfredo and for Rangers that his time at the club has been one where there has been massive change and only one trophy – albeit a massive one last season when the title was won with a bit of style – has been achieved so far.
“The time has come that the club has to start winning cups again. The record in recent seasons in the knockout competitions simply hasn’t been good enough.
“It will be easier to judge him, hopefully if he stays, over the next three or four years, and Rangers continue to win things and he keeps getting goals.
“But certainly, for me, he is vital in terms of Rangers trying to move forward and to achieve the things they want to achieve – and in particular, in retaining the league championship this season.”
Ally McCoist was speaking to promote The National Lottery Football Weekends campaign which will make over 100,000 tickets available on a ‘Buy One Get One Free’ basis for National Lottery players for selected matches as a ‘thank you’ for over £12.5million of funding they helped provide to community football clubs during the Covid pandemic.
To find out more visit www.thenationallotteryfootballweekends.co.uk.
