STEVEN Gerrard admits that he may have to go into the transfer market for a "natural" No 10 as he looks to improve Rangers’ creativity in the final third.
There was widespread criticism of the Rangers attack following the Betfred Cup semi-final defeat to Aberdeen and the home draw to Kilmarnock which followed as Gerrard’s men struggled to break down stuffy defences, but while they have scored five goals in their two outings since, against St Mirren and Spartak Moscow, Gerrard concedes it is an area he may look to address.
"We have people here who can do that, that have done it,” Gerrard said. “Scott Arfield, Ovie Ejaria or Daniel Candeias, maybe more from the side.
“We have those players here but what we haven't got is a natural No 10, someone who is described as No 10 and that's his job, so maybe in the future that might be an area we look at.”
Rangers go into today’s home game against Motherwell without two of his key creative players, with Ryan Kent still out with a hamstring injury and Candeias suspended after his appeal against a second yellow card against St Mirren was rejected during the week.
That places added pressure on to the likes of Ejaria to create openings.
"Not just Ovie but everyone who is selected in the forward positions,” Gerrard said. “We have been really strong at home so far, besides Kilmarnock, we were disappointed with that result, but the way we have tried to play at Ibrox has certainly been positive and aggressive, on the front foot and we will look to try and do that again.
“Anyone selected to play has to take responsibility of those players being missing because they have delivered. Candeias and Kent have done incredibly well.
"Not having Jamie Murphy available as well in one of them top positions is a blow, but we're hoping to have Kyle [Lafferty] available.”
Meanwhile, Gerrard has expressed his surprise that Ryan Jack isn’t included in the Scotland squad for the Uefa Nations League matches against Albania and Israel, although he doesn’t think the midfielder is the answer to the problem right-back position, despite playing there for his country previously against The Netherlands.
"In terms of his form when he's been fit and available for me, yes, for sure, 100 per cent [he should be in the squad],” he said. "I don't see him personally as a right-back but I'm not the Scotland manager and I don't have to pick a squad for Scotland. I'll never use Ryan Jack as right-back unless it's a very desperate situation that everyone was injured who could possibly play there. I see him as holding midfielder.”
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