Why Boyd Must Start

[ian1964 10,416]

Rangers can go top for the first time this year if their manager can put pragmatism aside and play his most potent striker

 

It is the most glaring example so far of Walter Smith's Kris Boyd conundrum that the Rangers manager is far from certain to pick a player who has rattled in 71 goals in 77 league starts for Sunday's Old Firm game. Without question on this occasion, though, Boyd should be handed a key role in a match which will revolve around each manager's use of his striking options.

 

Boyd has, famously or infamously depending on your perspective, notched only a single goal against Celtic during his three years in light blue. Such a statistic flies in the face of his prolific record against the rest of the SPL but owes much to the fact that the marksman has seldom actually featured in the country's biggest derby. When Rangers won at Celtic Park on 31 August, Boyd was not even deemed worthy of a place in their 18-man squad. Smith's pragmatic approach ââ?¬â?? he isn't Marcello Lippi's biggest fan for nothing ââ?¬â?? has regularly reared its head in this fixture. Facing a Celtic defence which has conceded 25 times in 24 league outings suggests the Rangers manager can be more bold this time around as he seeks to achieve back-to-back victories at Parkhead.

 

Boyd's form, probably much to the angst of a certain George Burley, has peaked to such an extent recently that the palpable prospect of the former Kilmarnock man being sold to Birmingham City last month had discerning Rangers followers sensing their club was handing another championship to Celtic. There was no move to the Midlands ââ?¬â?? as much to the delight of Boyd as those who idolise him ââ?¬â?? and the sight of his name on Sunday's team-sheet would surely worry a shaky Celtic back-line and their error-prone goalkeeper.

 

If Boyd features from the outset, it will be as one of two rather than a lone striker. Smith has been unfortunate in losing Nacho Novo to injury just when the little Spaniard was in danger of making himself useful again; restored from the wing, where he was regularly anonymous, Novo had started to excel as a second striker. Notably, he scored 25 goals from that position when Rangers were last crowned champions. Kenny Miller, troubled by hamstring problems recently, is the ideal man to partner Boyd, as an ability to rise to the big occasion should compensate for the Scotland striker's lack of match sharpness.

 

Smith's alternative would seem over-cautious given Celtic's current troubles. Miller has worked as a lone forward in the past ââ?¬â?? the manager has publicly stated he does not favour Boyd in such a position ââ?¬â?? and could do so again. That would look like a tacit admission, however, that he regards Celtic's porous defence as stronger than reality suggests. Moreover, is there really a need to use Lee McCulloch as a holding midfielder with Celtic virtually certain to retain an orthodox 4-4-2 stance? Scott Brown, while a danger breaking from Gordon Strachan's midfield, leaves space behind him which Pedro Mendes will seek to capitalise on.

 

And will Smith persist with the youthful John Fleck? At 17, he has been hailed as something of Scottish football's saviour since the turn of the year. A poor showing at Pittodrie against Aberdeen and a penalty goal against Dundee United, it would seem, are sufficient motivations to have certain sections of the public and media hail you as a messiah.

 

It is worrying, if predictable, that such pressures are put on one so young ââ?¬â?? wasn't Simon Donnelly supposed to be the new Kenny Dalglish at one stage? And what ever happened to Steven Smith? Fleck, to his credit, is as physically mature as he is fearless and would relish his first Old Firm outing at this stage. The cautious Smith may think otherwise; a recall for the hitherto invisible DaMarcus Beasley is certainly possible.

 

Strachan, too, has a crucial forward dilemma. Jan Venegoor of Hesselink has troubled Rangers in the past but, amid a series of injuries, the robust Dutchman has cut a peripheral figure this season. Celtic's manager, while fond of aerial prowess to complement the crossing ability of Shunsuke Nakamura and Aiden McGeady, cannot pick a team based on former glories alone. Georgios Samaras is the more viable partner for Scott McDonald, the latter one of few certain home starters at Parkhead. That pairing were immense at Ibrox on 27 December as McDonald's superb goal claimed a Celtic win; Samaras, for all his failings, is his club's top scorer this season and unquestionably understands the intensity of Glasgow derby.

 

Comparing this derby with the Manchester equivalent, in which he has also featured, the Greek explained in conversation last week: "They have the same hatred but it means more here ââ?¬â?? it is politics, community, religion, something different from other derbies. I am really glad to be part of it, it is a great feeling."

 

No sensation beats winning, even if Smith regularly maintains that the over-riding sense even in victory is one of relief that you have not been beaten. Rangers have a genuine opportunity to top the table for the first time this year, that chance will grow if their manager exposes Celtic's shortcomings by deploying his most potent striker and attacking straight from kick-off.

:cheers:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/feb/13/kris-boyd-walter-smith-rangers-celtic-old-firm