Sports Evolve
Rangers have been advised they must drop Allan McGregor as their No. 1 goalie if they want to maintain their title. Charlie Nicholas, a former Celtics player, thinks so.
Steven Gerrard’s decision to bring in the 40-year-old goalkeeper back to the Ibrox first team in 2018 was a brilliant one.
To be fair, McGregor has had his spells throughout the 2021/22 season when his errors directly contributed to goals going against the Rangers.
Motherwell came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Ibrox on Sunday, the most recent instance.
With a win in this match, the Light Blues could have narrowed Celtic’s lead in the Premiership to just one point.
With just ten games left this season, the deficit is still three points.
To get the title race back on track, Nicholas thinks the Rangers goalkeeper should be replaced by someone else.
He wrote in the Daily Express: “Rangers can kiss goodbye to their title crown if they don’t drop Allan McGregor.
“The 40-year-old keeper is looking really vulnerable and even some of Gers’ own fans have started to question his position in the starting line-up.
“Giovanni van Bronckhorst now has a big call to make and it could prove fatal to their silverware aspirations if he doesn’t make the right one.
“The Ibrox manager should give the gloves to Jon McLaughlin or even Robby McCrorie.
“The big moments look to have passed McGregor by this season.
“If Rangers don’t win the title then the goalkeeping issue will come under scrutiny along with their defence.
“I know they don’t score as many goals when Alfredo Morelos isn’t in the team but they have been losing a lot of soft goals at the other end, as we saw in last weekend’s match with Motherwell, who fought back from 2-0 down at half-time to draw 2-2 at Ibrox.
“A lot of mistakes have been coming from their goalkeeper.
“With the Kaiyne Woolery goal for Well’s equaliser, how often did you used to see McGregor get beat at his near post when he was at the top of his game? The veteran is letting in goals that he wouldn’t have conceded in his prime.
“The end of the road comes for all players and McGregor should have hung up his gloves at the end of last season. He made the wrong call.
“Steven Gerrard failed to address the situation in the summer and his successor Van Bronckhorst has had to roll with it.”
