Derek McInnes believes Lawrence Shankland is simply too good not to start scoring regularly and expects him to make a major impact at Rangers whether he starts or comes off the bench.
Shankland has one goal in five appearances since moving to Ibrox and was a substitute in Sunday’s 5-1 League Cup win over St Mirren, Rangers’ first victory of the season. The 31-year-old Scotland forward hit 22 goals for Hearts last season under McInnes.
McInnes said he isn’t concerned about Shankland’s early return, stressing that proven finishers know their way around the box and just need to play their natural game. He added that the best strikers operate on instinct and is confident Shankland will thrive at Rangers.
Against St Mirren, McInnes opted to start Ryan Naderi, who opened the scoring, while Nico Raskin wore the armband. The manager explained he had told Shankland that being captain doesn’t guarantee selection and that the player accepted this. Having worked with him before, McInnes called Shankland an excellent captain and person, and expects him to exert significant influence on and off the pitch.