Ryan Naderi has stressed the importance of a team-wide effort to address Rangers' attacking challenges, particularly in the wake of Youssef Chermiti's long-term injury. Chermiti suffered a cruciate ligament injury that will sideline him for six to nine months, a blow that not only ended any immediate transfer speculation but also removed a key attacking option for manager Derek McInnes.
McInnes' options at striker were already limited, with Lawrence Shankland yet to find consistent form and Bojan Miovski seeing limited game time. The club is reportedly pursuing Venezuelan striker Kevin Kelsy from the Portland Timbers. In the interim, Naderi has stepped up, scoring in recent matches against St Mirren and Jablonec, providing a crucial offensive spark.
Despite his recent goal-scoring contributions, Naderi stated that he cannot be the sole solution to the team's scoring problem. "I think it's the responsibility for the whole team, honestly," Naderi said. "With Youssef, we're missing a unique type of player, so we have to try as a team to fill the gap... Obviously, someone has to score the goals and I'm lucky to be the one who at the moment gets the ball over the line. But it's the whole team who has to fill this gap."
For the upcoming return leg against Jablonec, with Chermiti unavailable, McInnes is likely to continue with Naderi as the lone striker, supported by wingers Djeidi Gassama and Daisuke Yokota. Naderi expressed his adaptability, noting that he is comfortable playing as a single striker and enjoys contributing to the team's effort.
Naderi acknowledged that the team's performance against Jablonec, while resulting in a win, was not particularly inspiring, especially in the first half. He agreed with fans who were left unimpressed but emphasized the importance of securing wins and maintaining focus, particularly when aiming for European competition qualification. "We're here to qualify for the European competitions, so obviously your opponent is tough," he commented.
Rangers have seen significant squad turnover with 11 new signings this summer. Naderi suggested that this transition is a normal part of football and that new players need time to adapt. "It's about the old players welcoming the new players and the new players adapting quickly," he explained. "It's just that we managed to win those (last two) games now. It's still progress we're going through. We still have to improve and I think we're going in the right direction."
He also highlighted the need for increased tempo and urgency in play to better engage supporters. "Yes, definitely," Naderi responded when asked about speeding up the game. "I think part of the reality is that we just haven't had the best start and we're improving. It's not like you can just switch this off, but it's about believing in yourself and I'm confident that over time we'll get better and better."
The upcoming match in Jablonec nad Nisou holds personal significance for Naderi, as his mother is from the Czech Republic and his grandmother still lives there, allowing him to speak the language. He views qualifying for European competitions as a key motivation. "These are the nights you want to play and this is the special part for me. I don't care who we play."
