Watching a young forward get the usual late cameo has become one of those familiar Rangers patterns. It’s not that he’s been useless either. He’s got goals off the bench. But when the bulk of your appearances are as a substitute and you’re only getting 13 or 14 minutes at a time, how much development is really happening?

The numbers quoted sum it up: 19 games, 14 of them as a sub, and two goals from those substitute outings. That’s not a disaster, to be fair. It actually hints that there’s something there. The issue is the context. Those minutes are usually chaos minutes. Games stretched, tired legs, the team either chasing or protecting something. It’s hard to judge a striker properly in that environment, never mind build form.

Minutes matter more than “good cameos”

As supporters we’re guilty of wanting the immediate fix. Throw the lad on, hope for a goal, then wonder why he’s not starting the following week. Truth is, the manager has to think long-term, and that includes being honest about pecking order. If he’s not getting a start ahead of the other lads, that tells you where he’s viewed right now.

But it works both ways. If you never give a forward a proper run, you risk keeping him permanently in that “impact sub” box. Confidence for a striker is built on repetition: starting games, feeling involved, getting a couple of touches early, learning the patterns with the wingers and midfielders. Thirteen minutes here and there doesn’t do that.

Chermiti, chances, and the bigger problem

On Chermiti, the key memory mentioned is telling: one proper chance or shot. That can’t be the full story for any striker in a Rangers side that expects to dominate games. If our number nine is feeding on scraps, we’re not functioning properly in the final third.

And it’s not just about the striker anyway. If the team is having a good volume of efforts and only converting one, the issue shifts. Chance creation matters, but so does efficiency, decision-making, and composure across the front line and midfield runners arriving on the edge of the box.

A 25-goal striker helps, but spreading goals wins leagues

Every fan wants the mythical 25-goal man. You can see why. But Rangers are at our strongest when goals are shared: wide players chipping in, midfielders arriving late, defenders contributing from set plays. Call it 70 goals spread across the team and it becomes far harder to stop us.

Even if you land a striker who hits those numbers, he’ll likely have trade-offs. Maybe the hold-up play isn’t perfect. Maybe he’s not pressing like a demon every week. So the solution can’t just be “find the striker” and hope. It has to be building a side that creates, supports, and finishes chances from multiple angles.

Written by Angus1812: 23 January 2026

Tags: tactics