There’s a lot of noise that comes with judging a goalkeeper at Rangers, and sometimes it feels like the conversation forgets what the basics actually are. For me, the obvious starting point is simple: I expect my goalkeeper to stop shots. That’s the clearest route to goal, and it’s the one moment where it’s keeper versus ball, no excuses, no hiding.
Yet every time a goal goes in, the chat turns into a courtroom drama about “organisation” and “commanding the box”, as if that’s the only thing that matters. Don’t get me wrong, communication is part of the job. But the way it’s used in arguments can be bizarre, like it’s a magic wand that fixes everything if the keeper just shouts a wee bit louder.
The keeper can’t do everyone’s job
I’ve never bought the idea that a defence only functions if the keeper is constantly marshalling it like a sergeant major. Defenders are paid to read danger, track runners, win their duels, and make sensible decisions. If centre-halves aren’t dealing with what’s in front of them, you can’t just pin it all on the goalie because you fancy a neat single scapegoat.
And here’s the other bit people skip over: how do any of us actually know what’s being said on the pitch? You can’t hear the keeper above a loud Ibrox on a European night, never mind a scrappy league game when the crowd’s right on top of it. So the certainty some folk speak with about who is or isn’t communicating is just guesswork dressed up as fact.
Crosses, “command”, and the myth of perfection
There’s also this obsession with keepers coming for every cross. In reality, there aren’t many who truly dominate that area every week, and plenty of legendary keepers weren’t constantly sprinting through bodies to punch everything away. Sometimes the right decision is staying put and trusting your defenders to do their bit.
And if we’re being consistent, does that mean every save is actually down to “organising” the defence? Of course it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s just a good stop. Sometimes it’s reflexes, positioning, reading the shot early. That’s goalkeeping.
Form can change, but the debate doesn’t
Keepers have spells. Some seasons you’re flying, others you look a bit off it. If a keeper was poorer last year but looks sharper this year, that’s not a scandal, it’s football. The role is high-profile, mistakes are loud, and confidence is everything.
Truth is, I’m not losing sleep over whether he stays or goes, because the people at the club will make that call. But the arguments used to prove he’s “good” or “bad” can be so stretched they end up being funny. We can analyse keepers properly without pretending the goalie is also the defensive coach.
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