John McCallum, a contributor to the Rangers-based Gersnet podcast (February 24th, 7:22), has criticised Nikola Katic and seemingly believes that George Edmundson should be starting instead.
What’s he said?
Rangers drew 2-2 with St Johnstone on Sunday at McDiarmid Park.
They fell behind to an eighth-minute goal from Callum Hendry, but Florian Kamberi equalised prior to Joe Aribo netting a 71st-minute strike. Stevie May then levelled the scoring, earning the hosts a point.
Katic played the entire 90 minutes but McCallum believes that he was remarkably poor and has floated the idea of Edmundson starting instead.
The 22-year-old has played just five times this season, making only two starts in the Scottish top-flight.
He said: “[Katic] was very poor today, it was as bad a performance from Katic as I’ve seen. I think Edmondson must be sitting there on the bench thinking what have I got to do to get a game because he hasn't been playing well, Katic.
“And it's funny. One of the big criticisms I've got of Katic is that I think his distribution's poor.
“I don't think he's great at that side of the game, which is something that a lot of modern centre-halves really need to have.”
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Changes unlikely
Katic is clearly the first-choice for manager Steven Gerrard.
The 23-year-old has made 18 appearances in the league, with 17 starts.
Edmundson, perhaps, isn’t seen to be ready but McCallum is right to point out how poor Katic was at the weekend.
Per fbref, he did not win a tackle nor make an interception as Rangers shipped two goals.
With Katic in the team overall though, Rangers have conceded just 15 goals in 18 league games and kept eight clean sheets in his time on the pitch.
But the club are comfortably second in the table, 22 points clear of Motherwell, while they are 12 behind Celtic - perhaps now is the time to try Edmundson; no ill can really come of it.