Times Talker: How many goals should Rangers striker Martyn Waghorn aim for this season?

Anything less than 30 goals now would be disappointing, says Graeme McGarry

MARTYN WAGHORN has had a fine start to the season, and has done really well to bag 17 goals in all competitions already after netting just three for Wigan last term.

Along with his fellow former Wigan teammate James Tavernier, Waghorn has looked a cut above the level of football Rangers are currently playing at, and he has obviously benefitted from being in a team that has been playing open, expansive football for the most part.

That being said, if Waghorn doesn’t now go on to at least make the 30 goal mark with a little under two-thirds of the season remaining, then I’m sure even he would concede that would represent a disappointing return after the start he has made.

Any striker playing in a team that is creating as many chances as Rangers have been this season should be scoring most weeks. That’s not being disrespectful to the Championship, but if you look at the two goals he scored against Alloa at the weekend, fine finishes though they were, they both came from catastrophic errors by the league’s bottom side.

When you take into account the likelihood of Rangers receiving quite a few more penalties given the amount of time they have the ball in the opposition area, then he should really be able to hit 30 goals without too much of a problem.

That would represent personal success for Waghorn, and with Rangers now in a Championship title race with Hibs that didn’t look like emerging a few weeks ago, the onus is on him to ensure that he doesn’t let up in his pursuit of goals, particularly as the other strikers at the club are not chipping in with any great regularity.

Striker has the potential to hit 35, says Chris Jack

RANGERS boss Mark Warburton has always been sure that Martyn Waghorn would reap the rewards of a prolonged run of first team football and that confidence has proven to be well placed this season.

The striker took his tally to 17 goals from 19 appearances with a double against Alloa on Saturday but somehow missed out on taking home the match ball as Rangers maintained their five point lead over Hibernian in the Championship.

His two goals, a terrific volley from distance and a neat finish over the head of keeper Andy McNeil, were two of the finest Waghorn has scored so far this season.

But he also missed from a couple of yards out later in the first half and saw second half strikes saved and cleared off the line as he had to settle for a brace against the Wasps.

The 25-year-old doesn’t have a prolific scoring record in his career but he is thriving at Ibrox and his current streak shows no sign of slowing down.

There are some who still don’t see Waghorn as an out and out striker but he does have strength, a good touch and an eye for goal. He is capable of playing right across the front line and that adaptability may deny him chances to add to his tally on occasion.

Waghorn has been Rangers’ main source of firepower this season and if Warburton’s side are to win the Championship title, they will need the forward to keep on the goal trail for the second half of the campaign.

He is likely to break through his pre-season target of 20 goals in the coming weeks. There is no reason why he can’t set the bar high – certainly into the mid 30s – as he looks to fire Rangers back to the top flight.