Rangers striker Joe Garner has been praised by new manager Pedro Caixinha.
New Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha
Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha has told the club’s official website that he thinks Joe Garner is a ‘great striker’ after his goal against Motherwell.
The Gers were losing 1-0 at half time against Motherwell on Saturday afternoon, prompting manager Caixinha to make three substitutions at half time in a shock move.
Off came defenders Lee Hodson, Clint Hill and Lee Wallace, with Caixinha instead throwing on Andy Halliday, Michael O’Halloran and Joe Garner.
Caixinha’s brave decision paid dividends, as Garner grabbed the equaliser for Rangers, volleying home at the back post from Kenny Miller’s deep cross – but the Gers couldn’t find a winner.
Garner had other chances; a header from a corner beaten away from Craig Samson, whilst he also tested the Motherwell goalkeeper with a low strike from the edge of the box.
The 28-year-old striker breathed new life into the Rangers attack, and having only been a substitute against Motherwell, he will be hoping to nail down a regular starting spot under new boss Caixinha.
Mark Warburton splashed the cash to land Garner, paying a fee of £1.5million (STV) to land him from Preston North End, becoming Warburton’s most expensive signing at Ibrox.
Rangers’ Joe Garner celebrates
With just eight goals this season, Garner has yet to really justify his price tag – but new boss Caixinha has told the club’s official website that he thinks Garner is a great striker, and predicted that he will score more goals between now and the end of the season having impressed the new Rangers manager against Motherwell.
“Joe is a great striker, he’s not a number nine that stays in between the centre halves, he’s a guy who likes to move around but when the ball gets in the box and he has some conditions to score, he does great,” said Caixinha.
“I remember another one when he received the ball on the left and he didn’t shoot on goal, he
tried to make the definition and that’s really what makes the difference between one striker that can be aggressive shooting on goal and another one that looks to define each ball that is coming in the box. So he’s that type of player and for sure he’s going to help us and score more goals until the end of the season,” he added.
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