OPINION
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has enjoyed a positive start to his reign at Ibrox since taking charge in the summer, but there have still been a fair share of issues come his way as well.
An exit at the semi-final stage of the Betfred Cup last weekend was the lowest point for Gerrard so far, with that loss exposing some issues with his Rangers squad which likely need addressing in January.
Mixed form in the Premiership has also seen the Light Blues fall slightly behind the leading pack, currently sitting in fourth on 18 points from their first 10 games.
While Gerrard did make some big investments in the summer window, it is likely that he will be looking to beef up his squad even further in January, and possibly get rid of some deadwood in the process.
To do so successfully he will need a knowledgeable and experienced team of assistants and scouts behind him, and he looks to have made a brilliant acquisition in that department in recent days.
As reported by The Times, Gerrard has appointed former Arsenal coach Neil Banfield to his scouting staff, with the 56-year-old having left the Gunners with Arsene Wenger in the summer.
Banfield links up with the Gers after spending more than 20 years at Arsenal as a coach, first in the academy and the reserves before being appointed first-team coach in 2012.
That vast experience at a Premier League side will put Banfield in the perfect position to help Rangers find some real talent in the January window and beyond.
His experience as a coach will give him a different insight into scouting than normally found, and could see some serious talent come through the doors at Ibrox.
While it obviously does not guarantee success in the market, appointing Banfield is set to be a sensible move from Gerrard, and one that could well turn out to be a masterstroke from the Rangers boss.