24 Mar 2026 10:41:19
After seeing a few guys on here, go on about our strikers. I would just like to drop this interesting stat that I saw the other day into it for some opinions and debate.
Chermiti has managed to not score in 85% of his matches for us this season. Let that sink in for a moment as that means, he has only scored in 15% of his matches! Naderi hasn't scored since the cup game but has had a couple of assists.
I have seen a couple say that these 2 will of course get better as they are young still and while I agree they will, they just don't work as a pair and I don't think playing with 2 up top suits us at all.
For us to be a force again we need that No.9 that scores on a more consistent basis and I for one wouldn't mind us bringing in a more experienced striker to start and also pass on advice to these 2 younger lads.
24 Mar 2026 11:13:53
85% is horrendous stat, BBJ!
I would actually prefer Naderi as the focal point of the attack and Chermiti doing the donkey work for him.
imo, Naderi makes better runs and is more instinctive in the 18 yard box.
24 Mar 2026 11:18:13
BbJ, see the people that say we don't need strikers to score as they bring other stuff to the game. It's just terrible excuses, mate. Our strikers score more goals, this league would be wrapped up by now.
Chermiti isn't good enough at the moment, his all round game is improving, but we need goals.
24 Mar 2026 11:41:01
Joint top scoring team in the league, as long as our cf's win us games.
Bigbluejim, with us playing with two cf's, Hearts couldn't deal with it, we should have been out of sight in the last Celtic league game.
24 Mar 2026 11:45:31
I knew he hadn't scored against many teams, but for a lad who cost that amount of cash to have not scored in 85% of his games played is unreal, man.
I agree, MPH, he should go back to one striker and let Naderi play there as he is 100% more instinctive.
Storm, it's honestly unreal to think we would be a decent fair few points clear if we had a striker that scores.
Bring other stuff to the game, they're paid to score goals, and if that's the case then why do we have no other player in double figures since they bring so much other stuff. The thinking sometimes baffles me, Storm, it really does.
24 Mar 2026 11:49:54
Agreed, BbJ. ?
24 Mar 2026 12:19:41
Yes it isn't good but we are still top scorers in league so is the way the manager wants to play tactically may be set up so others are scoring throughout the team.
But Chermiti has only started 14 of the 23 league games he has been in squad so you are expecting him to score in short sub appearances of around 15-20 minutes so are the stats fair. He scored in 3 of his 14 starts (22%) and 2 of his 9 subs (22%). Still not great but argue again goals aren't the only reason he might be in the team.
On the strikers being used for more than scoring I have mentioned before Roberto Firmino. Liverpool played him as a forward and in 20/21 he scored in 15% of his matches for 'Pool as well. It isn't because he was a poor striker as he scored eventually 111 in 360+ appearances so was it because the managers used him as a different sort of striker.
We are top of shots on goal in the league; top of shots on target in the league but only score from 8% of those shots so are only 5th best in league.
Chermiti's shot conversion is 19%, same as Tav's; both top that figure.
So you could argue that it is the rest of the team who need to improve their efficiency in front of goal. Or Rohl could change the tactics to get Chermiti in front of goal and get more chances as he takes 1 in 5 of the ones he gets. This, to me, is a tactical decision, so get him in front of goal by playing him that way and he scores at a similar rate to Shankland (?).
Wasting my time I know but think if the manager wanted him in those positions more often and he wasn't doing it would he not be dropped for Miovski; would he not play Naderi ahead of him; would he not play 1 up front. There are so many options but Rohl keeps it the same, so he must want the team to play this way.
24 Mar 2026 12:21:43
I agree about the strikers, and I can't help thinking that a few goals by them earlier in the season, and some of these draws would be wins, and we would be ahead, but it's interesting that we have outscored Hearts in the league, despite the fact that Braga and Shankland have had great seasons and score plenty. It's been a bizarre season.
24 Mar 2026 12:37:16
We were terrible with 1 up top. Chermiti was isolated all the time.
24 Mar 2026 12:38:55
It's such fine margins this year, but incredible to think with all those draws just 2 more goals from them would have us top of the league.
24 Mar 2026 12:40:01
Youssef Chermiti 23 9
James Tavernier 29 8
Mikey Moore 26 6
Emmanuel Fernandez 21 5
Nicolas Raskin 29 4
Thelo Aasgaard 26 4
Bojan Miovski 24 4
Danilo 14 3
Djeidi Gassama 31 2
Jayden Meghoma 25 1
Mohammed Diomande 25 1
Max Aarons 17 1
Oliver Antman 13 1
Nedim Bajrami 12 1
Tochi Phil Chukwuani 8 1
Derek Cornelius 7 1
Andreas Skov Olsen 7 1
Tuur Rommens 6 1.
24 Mar 2026 12:43:06
Make stats look like anything.
Chermiti 9. Scored in 6 league games, not scored in 85% of games.
Naderi 7 games, 0 goals, not scored in 100% of league games.
Danilo 14 games, 3 goals, not scored in 11 games, 78%.
Miovski 24 games, 4 goals, not scored in 21 games, 87%.
None of them good enough at scoring.
I get the feeling some may be happy if Chermiti's 9 goals were spread over 9 games, but we don't beat Hearts, Celtic, or draw with Celtic.
At present, we can only pick three off players, and for me Chermiti has demonstrated he scores in big games. We have seven big games left.
24 Mar 2026 12:48:11
The above is our league scorers this season, and, no matter what you say, Angus, that is dire reading, considering Chermiti is our top league scorer this season and has scored in only 4 league games, is appalling no matter which way to try and dress it up.
I get we were poor under Rm, and, regardless of highest shot conversion in the league etc, that makes for horrid reading as a Rangers fan.
We need goals from our strikers, but also the rest of the team need to start chipping in too. I mean, how many people on here go on about how great Gassama is, yet he has 2 goals and 3 assists in 31 games for a forward player in this league.
Work must be done to not only sign physical players, but players who get in the box and chip in with goals.
24 Mar 2026 12:49:09
Correct, Davie, he was in the box himself on plenty of occasions. See how many are getting into the box right now.
Spot on again, Angus. ?
24 Mar 2026 12:54:39
Many league goals did Dessers score, Bigbluejim? In a league where we were not even close, now we have a great chance of winning the league.
24 Mar 2026 12:58:53
John, he has only scored in 5 league games, and those were Hearts twice, Celtic twice and Killie.
That means 8 teams he hasn't scored against, and my point is a Rangers striker should be scoring against these supposed "smaller" teams.
Must be addressed in the summer!
24 Mar 2026 13:06:37
Bbj, as you often say to me, I think you misunderstood my point. ?
I am not disagreeing that the strikers goals per game isn't poor. My point is that, when Chermiti gets a sight at goals, he scores 1 in 5 of them, which is around average with other strikers.
Also, he isn't getting into those positions, as others have said. But, is that because he doesn't know how to, chooses not to, or there is another reason that we just don't know? I say that, if it is the first 2, then why does Rohl still start him? Why does he not play Naderi ahead of him, if he does get in those positions, or why does he not play Miovski, who is more experienced in getting into those positions.
So, is it that Rohl wants him to play a specific way to allow the team to play the way he wants them to? This results in others getting the highest level of shots, and shots on target in the league.
But those players, being put in this position, only score once with every 12 shots on target.
So, not arguing he isn't scoring as much as people might expect a striker to, but trying to understand why. I think it is down to the tactical system Rohl plays, which means strikers drop deep to provide MF overloads. They can be in the box at same time as that isn't possible by laws of physics.
Not just is he not scoring, but he isn't getting chances. Others are though, so why aren't they scoring more often?
24 Mar 2026 13:10:01
Bbj, btw, thanks for the respectful discussion, as it is what I am on here for. Different opinion, but we can keep it polite. ?
Re your post on rectified in the summer. I do hope so, but feel, if we play the same way, it doesn't matter who the striker is; he won't be near enough to goal to score.
24 Mar 2026 13:12:12
Star, you said as long as our Cf's win us games, in the 5 league game Chermiti has scored in do you know how many contributed to wins? I'll answer that for you, it's 3 games.
Dress it up with we should have beaten Celtic in the 2-2 game, but in reality we didn't, so your point there is irrelevant.
I mean just look at see that our RB and CH have scored 13 goals for us, making them our 2nd and 4th top league scorers this season. Work must be done improving our forward areas this summer.
24 Mar 2026 13:14:23
Cool Jim, still has 85% correct. Fat fingers.
It's simply hate Chermiti. As it stands, he is our best chance of a goal.
U missed Naderi 7 games 0 goals.
Barron 0 goals.
Over the next seven games it does not matter who scores the goals as long as someone does.
I don't disagree, but our wingers and midfielders have to score as well, we used to have midfielders or wingers always good for double figures.
24 Mar 2026 13:18:34
Bigbluejim, remember who the top scores are in the league we play, ask again, how many league goals did Dessers score when we were not even close to winning the league? Now we've got Chermiti and Naderi leading the line, and have a great chance of winning the league, and still some ain't happy.
24 Mar 2026 13:22:13
We all know Chermiti and Naderi need to add goals, but if we win the league with them leading the line that works for me.
24 Mar 2026 13:36:25
Dessers scored 16 then 18 league goals.
Danilo Miovski.
Chermiti and Naderi so far, total 16.
24 Mar 2026 13:40:13
We don't score enough goals throughout the team, and haven't for a while. That needs addressed this summer. Over the past few seasons alone, Celtic get regular goals from midfield (Nygren, Hatate, Oriley, McGregor) and wide areas (Maeda, Jota, Kuhn, Abada). Name a Rangers midfielder or winger in the past 5 or 6 years who is a consistent contributor of goals (Cerny, maybe Arfield and Aribo). As for the strikers, I wasn't a fan of Dessers, but he still got 50 goals in 2 seasons, and I'd bet even with the service this year would have at least 15. Two of our 3 strikers have no natural goal scoring instinct, and the other one looks totally disinterested when he plays and won't be here next year.
The 2 big boys up front don't compliment each other the way McCoist and Hateley, Prso and Novo, or Sutton and Larsson did. Chermiti looks ok when teams open up against us, but against those packed defences he won't ever score regularly. He doesn't have the movement to create space for himself, the aggression to make a 50-50 ball his, or the natural finishing ability when the limited chances we create come along. Moore is currently our only regular attacking threat, and whether we edge this title or not, 2 strikers, 2 wingers and a creative midfielder should be at the top of Rohl's summer wishlist.
24 Mar 2026 13:41:19
Really good discussion on the team, guys.
I actually agree with all points here, strikers do need to score more, but so do our wide players and midfielders.
I am still kind of struggling with our team as individuals. Rommens has been immense, and I really like Manny, but still have lots of question marks over many of our team, where I go back and forth on them.
It's strange, though, I am really liking Nadieri even though he has hardly even looked like scoring. Go figure!
When I think about our team as individuals, the thing I come out with is that Rohl is doing an excellent job with the players we have.
P.S. You also missed Souttar, zero goals, I did not want him to get away with that, lol.
24 Mar 2026 13:42:17
At this stage I don't care if it's Butland that scores to win us the points as long as we find a way to win the remaining games.
I like Naderi and think him and Chermiti will get better the more they play together.
You don't score a scissor kick like that and have no skill.
Big man will come good. ?
Naderi too. ?
24 Mar 2026 13:43:57
John, I never added them as they haven't scored a league goal so far. It was only players that had scored I included. No, I don't hate Chermiti. I feel he would be better utilized in another position as he isn't a striker imo.
But I do agree we need goals from everywhere else, as you say we used to have plyers in those positions that would have double figures.
Angus, I started the post to get some discussion so I don't want to be disrespectful because people have a differing opinion from myself. I get what you mean about them dropping etc, but if we play with 2 strikers then 1 should always be our focal point while the other drops deeper, ie Firmino that you mention, he used to do it to drag defenders so Salah could peel into that space.
1 in 5 is decent, but the issue as you say is how many games does it take to get those 5 chances. I guess after the summer we will see what Rohl's actual style and formation will be, as I think at the moment he is trying to get the best out of a bad bunch.
Star, of course they need to add goals, but to say we would be confident with those leading the line next season is too far of a stretch imo as this season we are no doubt lucky that Celtic are the worst we have seen in many many seasons, something I imagine they will try and rectify next season.
Hence my point of maybe bringing in a more experienced striker to start matches but also try and help the younger lads out as I feel they would improve massively with that kind of help.
24 Mar 2026 13:44:28
Jackboy, and still the top scorers in the league.
24 Mar 2026 13:49:17
Celtic were 13 points clear after 31 games last year, now 5 points behind. They've scored 36 goals less to this point this season. If you have multiple goal threats, you win this league comfortably.
24 Mar 2026 13:56:22
Jim, sorry I did not mean u personally hate Chermiti, a lot of the fan base do, however.
u have created an excellent debate.
I disagree about Chermiti and Naderi. I want both here next season. Bonus is Dutch are not looking like they want Danilo, so he could be available. We have to get rid of Miovski somehow.
24 Mar 2026 13:57:33
Stig, I still believe his second goal shows he has what is required.
24 Mar 2026 14:08:30
Ah right I get you, John, yeah I get that a good amount do but I like the big lad as he does have something he just either needs a position swap or some time to develop more. He really does remind me of Joellinton from Newcastle, horrid scorer but great all round play.
I really like Naderi, as that boy puts in some amount of work but maybe Rohl should tell him he is a striker and needs to be in and around the box more.
If the Dutch don't want Danilo, I'd say we have to shift him and Miovski and bring someone else in. Either way, we are in for one hell of a summer with the WC going to have a good bearing on moves both in and out.
24 Mar 2026 14:11:33
His second goal against Celtic was a touch of class, John, best double I've ever seen in that fixture.
24 Mar 2026 15:33:21
He needs to add goals, simple as that. If he can't have good stats in spl, he'll struggle to have good stats in many leagues.
24 Mar 2026 15:35:34
The problem is more experienced strikers can still struggle against a parked bus. That is why Celtic played like they did in the cup, knowing we would struggle to score.
24 Mar 2026 15:42:33
Boy blue, and it has to be remembered this is Chermiti's first proper season, mate, a player with great ability.
24 Mar 2026 15:46:07
Mystar, so Hearts, Celtic etc scoring the same or fewer than us means our strikers are good enough? Using that logic, I assume you think Welsh, McGinn at Motherwell are better than Fernandes and Souttar, or Halkett and Findlay, as they've conceded fewer than anyone else. Celtic's forwards have been rotten all season, they have relied heavily on Nygren's goals.
Hearts' forward boys have done ok, but are a class down from what we should have up front, so saying we are top scorers doesn't mean a great deal. None of our 3 strikers assembled at a cost of roughly 16 million pounds are in double figures by Easter, if you think that's acceptable then our standards have dropped off a cliff.
24 Mar 2026 15:51:14
Geesa, that's why you get a striker that has good off the ball movement and makes runs that drag players out of their comfort zone, ie a Defoe style striker would be ideal, but not many of them kicking about.
Celtic knew if they defended narrow and packed central zones we would offer no goal threat and it proved correct.
24 Mar 2026 16:30:36
Bbj, that is the point. Everyone is saying what they think a striker should be doing in their opinion. I agree with a good few of those opinions. However, also trying to see if I can understand if Rohl is wanting them to play that way. So the 2 strikers work hard to allow the rest of the team to play, and scoring goals is secondary at the moment.
Next season, with new players, Rohl will change that system slightly, and strikers would score more.
It isn't not taking chances or even getting them; it is more about not being there to get them. Naderi scored in Germany, so he knows how to get into position, but isn't, and isn't getting chances.
24 Mar 2026 16:37:22
Not one bit of sense there, Jackboy, my post was that Rangers are the top scoring side in our league, we all know our cf's need more goals, but hopefully we win the league with Chermiti and Naderi leading our line.
24 Mar 2026 16:40:18
Jackboy, it means that if their strikers are scoring goals then the rest of their team isn't. So, are they overly reliant on just their strikers scoring, so if they go off the boil then what happens. Look at Celtic, as you say, and if Nygren stops scoring, when he has scored more than 25% of their goals, who takes up the slack.
So, saying we are top scorers says just that, and we have the goals spread across 13-14 players rather than 5-6. So, it doesn't matter if one stops scoring (unless it is Tav, of course).
I don't care who scores as long as we win games, and more importantly win the league. The conversation about Dessers (sorry) is the case in point. Some think he only scored in games we had already won so a striker scoring makes no difference to results in that case. That wasn't true, but principle of scoring in the right games does matter. People think the striker would score in drawn games to win them when that might not be the case.
24 Mar 2026 17:17:19
Therein lies the problem we have right now, Angus, if Rohl is asking them to drop deeper to create space for others, then why are none of them stepping up? Tochi's goal against the sheep for me is where we want 1 of our midfielders at all times. When we are attacking, we must have 1 on the edge of the area to benefit from knock downs etc.
As you say, we will wait till after the summer and see exactly what he is trying to do, but we need more goals from strikers and wide players, regardless of the playmaker tag they have had recently. Then add some more goals from our midfielders, and we will dominate next season ofc imo.
Oh, btw, Angus, touche, using my phrase back at me earlier haha.
24 Mar 2026 18:28:43
Bbj, sorry mate, I couldn't help it and glad you took it in jest.
tbh I don't know though why they are playing the way they do, and it sounds a bit like us all. Extra goals from everywhere would be useful, but as long as we are winning, and we have been doing that more often than the other teams even without our strikers scoring regularly. So, from when Rohl came in:
Rangers 6 draws, 1 loss
Hearts 5 draws, 5 losses
Celtic 2 draws, 7 defeats
Motherwell 7 draws, 3 defeats
So you could argue that with a striker scoring in those draws we would have more wins, but it may not have happened that way.
All I can say is we have the best goal difference, have scored as many or more than the other 4, and only Motherwell have conceded less (3).
So strikers not scoring hasn't stopped us pulling back 11 points on Hearts and Celtic since Rohl arrived, and we are still in a very good position despite all the grumbling on strikers.
So, a good discussion, but is it really hurting us? Yes, some will say we would be miles ahead, but only if the strikers score in the right games, and there is no guarantee that would happen.
I still say Rohl would be making changes if he wasn't happy, as he does that, but he hasn't, so does that mean he is happy or at least accepts this issue.
24 Mar 2026 19:34:41
Well, Angus, I appreciate a bit of banter too, so it's all good.
Yes, we have got back into it, but just from your stats alone from above, that's more down to those other teams bottling it.
Maybe he knows he is limited, so trying to field a line up/set up that he feels, shows he is going for it.
24 Mar 2026 20:04:45
Bbj, why is it bottling it? Can't you give us some credit for the run of games we have been on. Fans are too quick to judge and criticise, and too slow to accept the good points of the team.
I could argue Hearts are losing because their main goal threat has been injured, and they don't spread goals around their team, so it has hurt them.
Could argue that Celtic are too reliant on Nygram, so if he doesn't score they are more likely to lose games.
Same with Motherwell and Maswanhise, you get the drift here.
We have managed to gather the points as we aren't reliant on one or two players for our goals.
That will be down to the manager playing a style which fits the players he has, possibly, but looks at how to defeat teams who defend narrowly. He realises that a CF is surrounded by 2-3 players when we attack, so opportunities are limited for them.
63% of our goals have come from open play (32), so a lot of those come from outside strikers. That allows us to win (and draw) games when our strikers aren't. If we change to targeting strikers, do we risk that balance of scorers being lost and therefore dropping more points rather than winning more. Just a different view of the same scenarios.
24 Mar 2026 20:08:29
What makes no sense? That I'm not happy clapping a 9 million forward who has amassed 9 goals for the club by Easter? If he was wearing a green and white hooped jersey you would be rightly saying he's a dud - yes, equal top scorers in the league but in any other season before or after that total wouldn't be enough to win it, my point being that going forward the strikers we have aren't good enough just because we have scored as many as other clubs with misfiring strikers.
Angus, I also don't care who scores to win us the game either and goals need shared, but very few successful teams don't have that 20-25 goals a season player.
It doesn't guarantee you winning things, but it makes it a lot more likely. Hearts are having a good season but are only top because the Old Firm have been miles off it at times, and if Celtic still had a striker like Kyogo or Edouard or even if Maeda hadn't downed tools, their goals would've won them plenty more points and be comfortably ahead.
24 Mar 2026 20:41:51
To think we sold or let go 60+ goals last season for 16 in total from 4 strikers as was posted earlier, and they included a 20-25 goal striker. Big salmon incoming. ?
24 Mar 2026 20:50:30
Angus, your own stats here.
Rangers 6 draws, 1 loss
Hearts 5 draws, 5 losses
Celtic 2 draws, 7 defeats
Motherwell 7 draws, 3 defeats
That's bottling it, oh and let's not forget the Nancy effect of those 7 losses.