The transfer work might be heading in the right direction, but I can’t shake one feeling: centre-half still looks like the area Rangers could get caught short in. You can be pleased with profiles, ages, and the general sense of planning, then still look at the spine and think, “aye, but what happens if we lose another one?”
Progress is there, but the back line needs certainty
Manny has improved, no doubt. You can see the confidence growing and the physical side looks more suited to it now. But defensively, the really boring stuff that wins you tight games in Scotland, positioning, timing, sorting your body shape when the ball goes wide, still isn’t totally nailed down. That’s normal for a developing defender, but it’s also why it feels risky relying on him as if he’s already the finished article.
And that’s before you get into the fitness side of things. If you’re constantly planning weeks around who can train and who can’t, you’re not building a settled partnership, you’re firefighting. Rangers have seen plenty seasons where a defender’s quality is there, but the availability just isn’t. It turns your rotation into an emergency measure rather than a choice.
Loans, “not ready”, and no obvious youth pressure
The other issue is depth in the proper sense, not just bodies. If Cornelius and Djiga are out on loan, you’re effectively saying they’re not part of the immediate solution. If Nsiala is viewed as not being at the level, then he’s not realistically pushing anyone. And if Sterling’s fitness is a question mark, you’re again back to guessing rather than planning.
What makes it feel more stark is the lack of youth banging the door down in that position. It’s not a criticism of the academy, it’s just the reality that centre-half is one of the hardest roles to throw young players into at Rangers. Mistakes get punished, and the pressure is relentless.
Good wide firepower can’t always cover central gaps
Up top is another conversation. A striker is always nice to have, and Rangers fans will always want “one more” that’s ruthless in the box. But if you’ve got real quality coming from the flank, it can change the balance of the side. Skov Olsen, in particular, sounds like the kind of signing that lifts the whole attack and makes everyone around him better.
Still, wide quality doesn’t solve everything. The truth is, in Scotland, games can get scrappy and moments decide things. If your centre-halves aren’t settled, or you’re always one knock away from a makeshift pairing, that’s where points get dropped. That’s why centre-half remains the bigger worry for me, even while appreciating the good work done elsewhere.
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