A reasonably constant topic of debate for Rangers fans this season concerns our ‘punch’ up front on the pitch. Alfredo Morelos’ strike rate speaks for itself, but he does miss sitters and fans are torn on him owing to how frustrating a player he can be, but Kyle Lafferty is another debate and it’s not unfair to say, his return hasn’t been spectacular.
The 31-year-old Northern Ireland international returned to the club for a second spell back in August from Hearts, and he’s scored four times in seven starts and eleven substitute appearances.
There are those who argue that the substitute appearances aren’t helping him, but that he does have an impact even if the goals aren’t flowing. Others disagree and think we should be expecting and getting far more from the man given his talent and experience in the game.
Alan Stubbs, most recently manager of St Mirren, is one of those who feels he should be doing better and he told BT Sport in midweek that he felt Lafferty was underperforming for us and would be disappointed with the ‘impact’ he’s made, as he would’ve expected better himself.
“I don’t think Lafferty has had the impact he thought he was going to have there. I think that tells you the amount of times that Morelos has started while he has been there.”
The issue of the lack of starts is acknowledged as coming into it, but so does Lafferty taking a more wider role in the side rather than being strictly through the middle.
If he can find some better form though, the battle at the top of the table is only going to get tighter.