RangersMedia

Forward thinking Monday, 30 January 2012 12:35 Written by jimmy_vulmer

We're well over half way into January now and so far, we've held on to our prized asset, Croatian hitman Nikica Jelavic. 
As if to prove a point, his two vital goals against St Johnstone sealed a 2-1 win and dig us out of a real hole when we looked at going four points behind Celtic.

It cannot have hurt to have sent such a big reminder to the management and boardroom of the club as to just why the big man is so crucial to our hopes of retaining the title, achieving our fourth consecutive SPL crown and redeeming the fans' faith in Ally.

Lastly, the three points salvaged at the weekend in such a scrappy, feisty affair are sometimes those that may prove most vital come the end of the season. 

Unfortunately, though, we have to be prepared for the worst as to prepare to fail to hold onto Nikica is to fail to prepare for any departure. We all remember the nervous tension around 31st August last year when interest in the Croat was at an all-time high, mostly coming from the English Premiership. 

Despite what Craig Burley thinks, or Peter Lawwell sneers, two bids of £6.5m and £9m from Queens Park Rangers and Liverpool respectively were swatted away by the Ibrox powerbrokers as not only did we not want to lose our star striker, there would have been no time to get a replacement in.

Ludicrous transfer rumours aside – Garry O'Connor is still in Milngavie somewhere looking for Auchenhowie – let's have a look at what we might need if we lost the big man. 

First and foremost, we'll need a goalscorer. It should go without saying, but we need someone who can operate in the box and put away chances. Jela has 17 for us this term and is the SPL's top scorer on 14. I'd argue that he doesn't always shoot when he might do, but there's no arguing with his return. We'd shudder to think where we might be this season without those goals.

Small and nippy forwards are a different bag entirely. We've had a few of them in recent years – Kenny Miller, Nacho Novo and Shota Arveladze. Pacy, direct players can inspire a team on – look at Sone Aluko and Steven Naismith for proof – and for all it's a cliché, defenders hate players who'll take the ball and run at them. It could even be argued that Jelavic needs a foil like this now, if he was to stay. David Healy has shown what a striking partner can do for Nikica with some smart link-up play.

Target men are often a symbol of a lot of things that are wrong with Scottish and British football. Synonymous with tired tactics like the long ball, aimless punts up the park and uncultured and unattractive play – sure – but they can do a job. Jelavic certainly needs a consistent foil up front, and while Kyle Lafferty is a big lad, he is far more impressive with the ball at his feet than in the air. While it's a salivating thought imagining what Nikica could do alongside a Mark Hateley, Daniel Cousin or Dado Prso, gems like those are few and far between. 

The all-rounder is arguably the type of player Jelavic is himself and it's difficult to imagine two similar players up front gelling into a partnership like a Prso/Novo duo or a Hateley/McCoist partnership being so similar. These types of partnerships tend to be successful when; and it's another cliché; strikers tend to be quite different like a big man/wee man combination. 

Potential Targets

This one doesn't take too much thinking – Kris Boyd. Boyd is without a club since ending his disastrous spell in Turkey with Eskisehirspor. Dividing fan opinions like no other player, his goals tally for Rangers cannot be sniffed at by anyone, not even Henrik Larsson. We know what he gives us – powerful finishing, not a great deal of off-the-ball work and the odd silly moustache but it may take time to get him up to fitness – which we don't have if we let Jelavic go.

St Johnstone's Spanish starlet Francisco Sandaza put on one hell of a display against us, almost as if to say, 'right, here's what I've got, come and get me' to the Rangers gaffer. Common knowledge now, but at the time it wasn't widely known that Sandaza had rejected Rangers' pre-contract offer mere hours before the game in hope of a better deal. More skilful than Boyd on the ball, but just as slow. His finishing isn't too shabby either, with 9 SPL goals this season. Could do a job, but not worth major outlay.

Farid El-Allagui is a name that has hurt us this season. The spearhead of the Falkirk attack in the ill-fated League Cup loss this season, he netted twice that night and this season has already broken double figures in the First Division. At 5'11, he doesn't quite fit the small tag of small and nippy, but he is quick and knows where the goal is. Can score against higher opposition as his goals against us shown, but whether he could make the step up is still open for debate. 

Hamdi Salihi is a name on a lot of Rangers fans' lips. At least, those with regular access to fans' forums online, as the Albanian has been linked with a move to Glasgow this window. Rapid Vienna – remember them – have told the player he is free to leave this month, with a fee around £500,000 having been speculated as the price on his head. A career record of 135 goals in 241 league appearances is a good return and his record of 42 in 67 for Rapid Vienna is incredibly promising. Possibly the replacement of choice if Nikica goes, but even then, at £500,000 it may be possible for the club to bring him in to partner Jelavic. 

We need a striker in – that much is clear. If we can hold on to Jelavic, bringing in just one may be enough to push us on to retaining our fourth title. Worst case scenario - if we lose him, we need at least two in as a front two of Lafferty and Healy just will not cut the proverbial mustard in the league as a strikeforce. 
The best case scenario of a possible duo of Jelavic and Salihi, however... Well, the odds on us to win the league would be a lot shorter than 11/5, that's for sure.