Ally McCoist stunned by ‘absolutely incredible’ Rangers statistic he’s just discovered

Ally McCoist has been left stunned by a statistic that highlights just how long Rangers have struggled to find a prolific striker in the Scottish Premiership.

The issue has become even more pressing for Derek McInnes following a pair of injuries in the space of a few weeks.

Youssef Chermiti faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an ACL injury against Hibernian, with the damage potentially keeping him out for the remainder of the campaign.

Rangers responded by redirecting funds towards the signing of Kevin Kelsy, bringing the Venezuelan forward to Ibrox as a new option in attack.

However, before Kelsy could make his debut, Lawrence Shankland suffered a hamstring injury and is now set to undergo surgery, leaving Rangers with another major problem at centre-forward.

For McInnes, that means Kelsy and Ryan Naderi are currently the only recognised senior strikers available.

McCoist stunned by Rangers’ striker record

While the current injury situation is a major concern, Rangers’ difficulties in the number nine position are nothing new.

The scale of the problem was highlighted during a discussion on talkSPORT when former striker Charlie Austin pointed out that Rangers have not had a player reach 20 Premiership goals in a single season since 2010.

That revelation immediately caught McCoist’s attention.

The Rangers legend described the statistic as remarkable, admitting that it was difficult to comprehend given the club’s stature and expectations.

McCoist also acknowledged how damaging the current injuries could prove, with Chermiti unavailable for potentially the entire season and Shankland facing an operation. He noted that Rangers had brought Kelsy in but stressed just how extraordinary the long-term goalscoring record remains.

Rangers’ best strikers since 2010

Kris Boyd remains the standout example from the period, having scored 23 Premiership goals for Rangers in 2010 while also providing five assists.

Kenny Miller was another major contributor, finishing one of his best campaigns with 18 goals and nine assists.

Alfredo Morelos and Cyriel Dessers both managed 18 league goals in their respective best seasons, while Chermiti reached 15 goals during his first Premiership campaign.

Perhaps the clearest indication of Rangers’ lack of consistent goalscoring firepower came during the 2023/24 season. James Tavernier, despite playing primarily at right-back, scored 17 league goals – more than several of the club’s recognised forwards, including Dessers, Fabio Silva and Danilo.

Those figures underline why McCoist was so surprised by the statistic.

Rangers have repeatedly struggled to find a striker capable of delivering 20-plus league goals, and with Chermiti and Shankland now unavailable, that weakness has become even more significant.

Kelsy therefore faces immediate pressure to make an impact, with Rangers desperately needing their latest attacking recruit to provide the goals that have been missing for so long.