The first home league game of 2022 sees Rangers take on Livingston with the sole purpose of getting three points and getting our league campaign back on track after the disappointing draw with Aberdeen.
It wasn’t just the dropped points that annoyed Gers fans but the manner in which we allowed our hosts to control the game, it was our worst performance under Giovanni van Bronckhorst and, in hindsight, getting a draw wasn’t a bad result in the end.
There were seven internationals missing from the starting XI but we should start to see a few of them return this week, although this is balanced off with Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos and Ianis Hagi also being unavailable. Add these names to those of Joe Aribo, Ryan Jack and Filip Helander and that’s over half of a very good side that won’t start – not that you’ll see that reported.
With this in mind, this is the team I think Gio will go with to get maximum points against Livi.
A lot of the front three will depend on how fit Kemar Roofe is, he starts if he can, if not, Cedric Itten will get his chance, Fashion Sakala and Scott Wright the obvious choices on the flanks.
Until Aribo returns from the African Cup of Nations – he will be in Glasgow and could yet make the squad – we will have to go with Scott Arfield, Juninho Bacuna or Alex Lowry at number ten, personally, I think Arfield has always been better in the deeper role and has formed a good partnership with Glen Kamara, fingers crossed he is fit enough to start such is his importance to our system.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Arfield further forward and either John Lundstram or James Sands deployed alongside Kamara though, with Kent, Morelos and Hagi out, if Aribo is fit, he should play – needs must and all that.
Bacuna might not be everyone’s cup of tea because of his languid style but playing him closer to the opposition goal means that he doesn’t have to work quite as hard defensively, he is also one of a few players who can find space in packed defences – which is exactly what we should expect from Livi.
As for the defence, Calvin Bassey deserves to keep his place, for now, and there is no reason to change anything else. The defence is one area of the pitch that shouldn’t be rotated, consistency helps to build a better unit.
The performance has to be better, as does the end result, regardless of who takes to the pitch.