Goldson keen to maintain perfect attendance record in title surge
For Connor Goldson, it’s now 2,970 minutes and counting as the heartbeat of a miserly Rangers defence this season.
The 28- year- old has started and finished all 33 games the Ibrox side have played in all competitions since the start of 2020-21, the only player to do so. His consistency and reliability in central defence, complemented by the seven goal she has contributed as part of the attacking threat Rangers carry at set pieces, have underlined why he is valued so highly by manager Steven Gerrard.
When asked earlier in the campaign whether he might look to give Goldson a rest at some stage, Gerrard wryly observed that the scornful look he received from his vice-captain whenever he raised the subject made it unlikely.
Gold son’ s eagerness to play as much football as possible has motivated him ever since he arrived at Rangers in the summer of 2018, his time at previous club Brighton having been disrupted by a heart issue which required preventative surgery and kept him side lined for the best part of a year.
So it is no surprise to hear him express a willingness to extend his perfect attendance record for the rest of a season which holds so much promise for Premiership leaders Rangers both domestically and in the Europa League.
"I don't know if I can play
every game - that's all up to the manager and what he decides,” said Goldson. "But I just do everything I can between games to get my body in the best place to recover and go again.
"I want to play every game possible and I do everything at the training ground, and away from it, to be in the best condition. Hopefully, I can keep performing because I feel in a good place and I am enjoying my football."
Rangers kept their
18 th clean sheet in 22 Premier ship matches this season with their 1-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox last Saturday which stretched their lead over the reigning champions in the title race to 19 points.
That defensive solidity has been evident from the first day of the campaign when Rangers beat Aberdeen 1 - 0 at Pi tt odrie, t he venue they return to tomorrow in search of a 15th consecutive win in the league.
“I have always said in foot
ball that when you keep clean sheets it becomes a habit and you get confidence from that,” said Goldson. “Obviously, starting the season the way we did by keeping seven in a row in the league has helped us on our way.
“We have realised now, as a back four and whole team, that if we can keep a clean sheet then it is going to be hard f or the other team to stop us for 90 minutes.
“We saw at Pittodrie earlier in the season that it can
only take one goal for us to win a game. I think that’s important.
"Pit to drie is always a tough place to go so i t's another statement game for us this weekend and it's a place where we have had good results over the years.
"But we have also dropped points there and we know it's one of the most difficult places to go in this league.
"Another three points would be another statement.”