Colin Stein

[craig 5,199]

I would agree with Gribz regarding Boyd IF, and only IF, the other strikers were actually creating a bunch of assists. But that simply can't be said.

 

Miller, Lafferty, Naismith have created the square root of ZERO recently. Novo gets some slack from me as he hasnt had game time. We have scored 8 goals in 7 games recently.

 

2 against 1st division opposition (QoS) (Naismith & Novo)

1 against Sevilla (Novo)

2 against Celtic which were as much defensive mistakes as our chance creation (Miller)

2 against St Johnstone (Boyd & Papac)

1 against Unirea - deflected goal.

 

When you look at these goals Boyd created Naismith's at QoS. Boyd also created Miller's 1st against Celtic, was involved in Miller's 2nd (admittedly only because he missed his header, but he still pressured the defender).

 

So Boyd has scored one in that time, set up 2 (with an argument for 3) and has not played in one of those games, only came on after an hour against Aberdeen, came on after 72 against Sevilla.

 

The stats could be extended to 9 goals in 9 games (so a further two games) and Boyd missed one of those too.

 

Now, taking the stats above, of the 8 goals we have scored Boyd has either scored or contributed heavily to 3 or 4 of the goals. Miller has scored two and contributed little all else. Novo has scored two but not had the CHANCE to contribute much else.

 

So in the cold light of day, even though Boyd has not been scoring his contribution has actually been BETTER than ANY of the other Rangers strikers in the team - Novo is excepted because he has been given even less of a chance than Boyd.

 

WS could do a whole lot worse than playing 4-4-2 with his strikeforce being Boyd and Novo. Yet he persists with others.

 

The evidence suggests that Boyd is actually more effective than any of our other forwards, Novo possibly being the only exception.

 

Sure, Boyd's all-round game is poor - but I am still to see any reasonable evidence to suggest that ANY of our other strikers are better. Miller and Novo will run all day long but that hasn't created chances for anyone else. Miller and Novo's first touch is as bad, if not worse than, Boyd's.

 

The only real difference aside from boyd being a goal threat even if not playing well ?? Boyd actually seems to have made an effort to better his play. I don't see any of our other options making that same effort.