Terry Christie: Rangers’obvious weakness in battle to stop Celtic’s 10-in-a-row

Rangers central defender Connor Goldson

With or without Morelos, vulnerable defence is major problem

S aturday 1 August sees the start of the Premiership with Celtic going for a record breaking ten-in-a-row.

Their biggest challengers will again be Rangers who showed last season that in a one-off game they are capable of defeating Celtic.

But over a 38-game season the high probability is that Neil Lennon’s team will again win the title.

Rangers are good going forward and, in Alfredo Morelos, have aplayer who is a real goal threat and who will surely be learning that getting sent off regularly is rather boring.

If Rangers lose Morelos, I 
cannot see them posing a real threat to Celtic. But even with him they will still have a defence that is vulnerable.

There is an obvious weakness at centre-back with last season’s pairing of Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic being just not up to the job.

In contrast, Celtic’s Kristoffer Ajer and Christopher Jullien are outstandingly good and could play at any level.

Rangers will be hoping that Swedish centre-half Filip Helander maintains fitness and stays free of injury. He would be an improvement in that he is quicker and more mobile than the other
 two.

One thing Rangers will not lack is leadership. I have been impressed with Steven Gerrard who brings with him an intensity and a massive will to win.

He does not handle defeat well – but few good managers do.

Let us hope that Rangers mount a real challenge in the coming 
season because one-horse races are not much fun.