Decision time for Rangers - the 'false nine' debate as club tries to find solution to striking crisis ahead of Leipzig

Seldom, if ever before, has Giovanni van Bronckhorst faced a more challenging or significant team selection dilemma in his coaching career than he does for Thursday night’s Europa League semi-final, first leg assignment against RB Leipzig in Germany.

As the Rangers manager stands on the cusp of a truly remarkable achievement, he is entitled to curse the ill fortune which has deprived him of the services of Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe, the Ibrox club’s two leading strikers.

While still hopeful Roofe may recover from his knee injury in time to feature in next week’s second leg at Ibrox, van Bronckhorst faces a test of both his coaching nous and the depth of his squad as he ponders the best way to ensure Rangers go into that game with favourable odds of reaching the Europa League final in Seville on May 18.

There has been much debate over whether the Dutchman should deploy a ‘false nine’ at the Red Bull Arena. With Fashion Sakala having failed to impress when he was tried in the central striking role in the first leg of the quarter-final away to Braga, many feel van Bronckhorst may need to test the adaptability of either winger Ryan Kent or midfielder Joe Aribo in a less conventional formation.

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd concurs that Zambian international Sakala does not possess the necessary tools to operate through the middle and sympathises with the predicament van Bronckhorst must wrestle with on such a momentous occasion.

“The loss of Morelos was already a big blow but then losing Roofe is an even bigger blow for me,” says Boyd.

“You had Roofe to replace Morelos but there’s no one really to replace Roofe.

“I know Sakala played against Motherwell on Saturday but you’ve got to look at the European game in Braga