Smith set to trim Rangers squad

By Gordon Tynan

The Rangers manager Walter Smith says he is more likely to use the January transfer window to reduce his squad rather than add to it. Smith stated recently a desire to bolster his defence and will continue to keep tabs on the transfer market for any attractive propositions, but he is largely satisfied with the squad he has at his disposal which may need to be trimmed ahead of the second half of the season.

"We've got a big group of players at the moment so we don't necessarily have to bring anybody in," Smith said. "We could lose a few but it's not really that necessary for us to bring anyone in. When the transfer window does come around, if you can improve on certain situations within your team, you'll do so. If people are not getting a game, they aren't going to be that happy at not playing and may want to leave. Or they may not and we could have this size of group until the end of the season. We'll have to wait and see."

Smith claims to have no concerns about his defence ahead of tomorrow's trip to Kilmarnock after conceding three goals against Dundee United in midweek. Rangers salvaged a point from Tuesday's game at Ibrox thanks to Kevin Thomson's last-gasp equaliser, but defensive errors proved costly as Smith's men squandered the opportunity to move level on points with Celtic at the top of the League.

"I think we have been defending very well this season," said Smith. "We made a couple of errors in the game the other night, until then we had only lost a couple of goals at Ibrox in the league games this season."

Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc will have knee surgery after today's SPL game against Motherwell. The Poland international could miss the Champions League tie with Aalborg in Denmark on 25 November.