STEVEN GERRARD insists he won’t hesitate to shell out on a new striker if his struggling Rangers attackers don’t get their act together. Despite progressing to the second qualifying round of the Europa League, Alfredo Morelos and Josh Windass drew blanks for a second successive game. Gerrard won;t hesitate to splash out on new frontmanWillie Vass Boss Gerrard was left bemoaning his side’s “serious lack of quality” in the final third against FK Shkupi. Gers will face either Croatian side Osijek or Petrocub of Moldova in the next round, with Gerrard preparing for a step up in class. And he has ordered an immediate improvement in attack, otherwise he’ll bring in a new frontman. Gerrard said: “I don’t want to go out and do that, but the games will get more difficult now. “I think if I’m candid about it, the people that can score goals and create quality for us are in that dressing room. I have said they are here. “We almost, with all due respect, treated these two games as pre-season. Pre-season is done now. Next week I can’t talk about tuning up and sharpening up. We are four weeks in now. Those players have to start delivering in the final third. “There needs to be more quality. I can’t be any more candid about it.” Steven Gerrard has warned likes of Alfredo Morelos to start scoringWillie Vass Gerrard appeared content with the result in Macedonia but far from happy with the performance. As he landed back in Glasgow in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Gers boss was in no mood to sugarcoat what he’d seen in Skopje. For a man determined to raise standards at Rangers, the lack of a cutting edge is an immediate and obvious concern. Gerrard reflected: “We have done the job, but we should have won the game. The way I look at it, I’m well aware of the questions that will come and it is going to get harder. “We need to keep improving, keep raising the standards and we need players who are going to back themselves in the final third. “We can’t keep relying on clean sheets and organisation and shape to get us over the line, because sooner rather than later, that won’t happen. Windass drew another blank in SkopjeWillie Vass “On the other side of the game, the two centre-halves were excellent, Jon Flanagan is Jon Flanagan and James Tavernier was good. “And I thought the two lads we put in front did a really good job. Ryan Jack was good and Ross McCrorie was good, apart from a few little moments.” Gerrard was less impressed by his strikers. Morelos and Windass toiled badly, with the Colombian’s body language looking all wrong. But Gerrard could be forced to go with them again next week after he revealed new signing Umar Sadiq is still looking for match fitness. EMPTY SEATS Kevin Thomson hits back at Boro fan as he compares their crowd to ‘reserve’ football He is training with fellow loanee Lassana Coulibaly and Gerrard said: “I think Umar will be available, but where he will be in terms of fitness we will have to wait and see. “Those lads are probably on day eight or nine, so I can’t put them in when they are not ready, but they are going to be with us moving forward.” Umar Sadiq is still looking for match fitnessWillie Vass Despite the heat, it was no sweat for Rangers in Skopje. They handled the humidity and dealt with what little Shkupi showed in attack. Gerrard said: “Game management was really good. The emphasis was on them to come to us and we thought they would come more and take more risks, but it seemed like they were just happy. “The chance we had with Glenn Middleton at the end, he will learn and go across the keeper. related stories EMPTY SEATS Thomson hits back at Boro fan as he compares their crowd to ‘reserve’ football McFLY GUY Rangers fans tease Dave King with Back to the Future tweets after statement gaffe IBROX CLEAR-OUT Rangers terminate Forrester’s contract as attacker leaves by mutual consent HER HE IS Rangers flop Eduardo Herrera trains with his new team-mates for the first time TO BE FRANK Gers and Celtic target Wilson reveals Lampard was key to joining Derby County NIED’S MUST Rangers appear to poke fun at club’s shock Progres loss after Shkupi win “I asked Ovie Ejaria to go on and open the door and he opened the door and did well again. “I’m really happy there is a base and something for us to improve on, but slightly concerned about the chances being missed by the team, not individuals. “With the chances over the two games, we should never have gone into that second game having to put in what we put in.” Keep up to date with ALL the latest news, transfers and goals from Scottish football plus fixtures, results and live match commentary
Source: Scottish Sun, News
Source: Scottish Sun, News
