Speaking ahead of last night’s game, BT Sport pundit Stephen Craigan believes Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has a lot to think about in relation to Kemar Roofe.
The Jamaica international has been out of action for the last four games after picking up a knee injury in the Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic last month and is in a race against time to be fit for next Wednesday’s Europa League final.
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.
Joe Aribo was deployed through the middle in both legs of the Europa League semi-final win over RB Leipzig and the question has now been raised as to whether or not Aribo will continue to operate as a makeshift number nine or if Roofe should come back into the side.
Should Rangers sell Morelos?
Yes!
No!
Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show, Craigan gave his thoughts on the matter and stressed that Roofe’s chances of proving his fitness in the Scottish Premiership ahead of the final are wearing thin.
He said:
(20:12)”You just think time’s running out.
“You just wonder that if he doesn’t play tomorrow night Kemar Roofe doesn’t play any part maybe plays a little bit on Saturday. Does that make him fit enough to start in the game? I don’t think it does.
“Or you better going with 100% Joe Aribo who’s out of position playing as a centre forward? Or are you better going with a 60% fit Kemar Roofe who might only last half a game you know so there’s big decisions to be made from Giovanni van Bronckhorst.”
TIF Thoughts on Roofe and Rangers…
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 Gers toppled SC Braga at Ibrox in the Europa League quarter-finals last month.
However, he hasn’t played since the middle of April and Aribo came in for praise during the semi-final for how he affected the game as a “central figure” as Alan Hutton desrcibed him.
Time will tell though but as Craigan says there is a risk surrounding Roofe although he does still have time to show that he is ready to start in the showpiece.