How badly will Rangers miss Lee McCulloch?

Big Jig seems set to miss the rest of the campaign

It would be wrong to take Sunday’s game as a barometer of what Rangers are going to be like for the rest of the campaign without Lee McCulloch but some Gers fans will be bemoaning the absence of the midfielder. No one is trying to build up McCulloch as some form of total footballer but he is crucial to the way that Walter Smith sets his team up in big games.

With European ties and 80 or so games against Celtic to come in the next few weeks, someone needs to step up and fill the boots of Lee McCulloch. With Madjid Bougherra frequently roaming from the back to provide an additional attacking option on the right hand side and Davie Weir dropping back further and further to minimize his exposure, Rangers need a central midfielder that can plug the gaps.

McCulloch knows that when Bougherra breaks forward he is the one to cover and when the opposition are looking to pressure Rangers, McCulloch is the patroller at the edge of the box. He also allows the rest of the midfielders to push further up the park allowing Rangers to break and attack in stronger numbers. McCulloch is also a danger at set-pieces and arriving at the edge of the box to shoot so he will definitely be missed in the final months of the season.

Maurice Edu is the natural choice to fill in for McCulloch but it seemed as though many Rangers fans were not too impressed with the American’s display on Sunday. The problem for Edu is that he is more naturally suited to an attacking role and had to tailor his game. To do this in a match versus Celtic provided a number of difficulties and at times, Edu was caught between his normal role and his expected role.

Now that McCulloch is confirmed as being out, Rangers should be able to spend more time on the training ground with Edu to help him settle into his new role. The American certainly has the awareness and fitness level to play this role but it will require another shuffling around of a squad that is already thin.

Will the loss of McCulloch have a major impact on Rangers?

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