Former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell insists that the Glasgow giants need Kemar Roofe for Thursday’s second leg tie at Ibrox.
The Jamaica international has been out of action for the last three games after picking up a knee injury in the Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic last month.
Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has been without a recognised striker in Roofe’s absence with the talismanic Alfredo Morelos also on the injured list since early April.
Fashion Sakala was deployed through the middle and scored as the Gers drew 1-1 with Celtic in the Old Firm in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday but Bell has stressed that the Blues will need Roofe leading the line if they are to overturn their 1-0 first-leg deficit on Thursday night.
Discussing the issue on The Go Radio Football Show podcast (31.01-31.26) he said:
“I think Rangers need Kemar Roofe on the pitch Thursday night, they do, but again I would like to see him being more than 70% fit.
“I want to see at least an 85-90% Kemar Roofe up top and hopefully, he can last 70 minutes because Sakala, listen he’s got the legs, he can get in behind and he is a decent player but he’s not, I wouldn’t say he is that main striker player that we need at the moment and we’re going to need on Thursday night.”
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TIF Thoughts on dropping Sakala at Rangers…
Sakala was one of the standout performers for Rangers in the recent Old Firm as he managed to grab the equaliser and hit the post in the dying embers, which got him a rating of 7/10, so it comes as a slight surprise to Roofe being urged to start tomorrow night, especially as he may not be 100% fit in such a huge game.
However, Roofe has averaged close to a goal or an assist every 100 minutes so far this season and the 29-year-old scored a pivotal goal as the Scottish champions toppled SC Braga at Ibrox in the Europa League quarter-finals last month, so you can kind of understand Bell’s thinking.
He sat out the first leg with Leipzig last week but has become a “very important” player according to his manager and his return to the side could inspire another memorable night in Glasgow for the 2008 UEFA Cup finalists.
According to reports, the striker is ‘winning his fitness battle’ and van Bronckhorst will be encouraged ahead of Thursday’s crunch clash with the German club.
Although, it would be slightly harsh to drop Sakala after his weekend display, but these are the type of calls that could prove crucial in games like this, so we shall see what Van Bronckhorst decides.
AND in other news, Rangers star fuming in post-Old Firm Instagram post