Source: Team_Talk
MacDonald: Smith will fear Boyd exit
The Light Blues' striker was anonymous in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Celtic at Parkhead which kept the visitors seven points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League.[LNB]However, his 19 goals this season have have gone a long way to help the Govan club gain that advantage over their great rivals, as well as helping him overtake Henrik Larsson as the SPL's all-time top scorer.[LNB]Boyd's contract is up at the end of the season and while Rangers are reportedly set to begin talks with the 26-year-old's agent Mark Donaghy about a new deal, the former Kilmarnock player has been linked with a move to Birmingham City, managed by his former Ibrox boss Alex McLeish.[LNB]Smith has repeatedly claimed the cash-strapped Govan club do not need to sell any of their players in January but it would be folly to assume Rangers could easily afford to turn down a lucrative fee for a player they could lose for nothing at the end of the season[LNB]It is under those precarious circumstances that MacDonald, who played for Rangers in the 1970s and 1880s, claimed Smith would want January to come to an immediate end.[LNB]He said: "Walter will wish it was the end of the transfer window, instead of the beginning.[LNB]"There will be a few weeks of rumours and speculation and that will affect everybody.[LNB]"Walter will be hoping to get through it and hopefully get something sorted with Boydy, and to be fair it appears that he wants to stay.[LNB]"He might just want to stay to the summer and help win the trophies although the bank would perhaps not be happy with that.[LNB]"But it would be a big problem for Rangers if Boyd left.[LNB]"He and Kenny Miller have struck a good partnership and they are setting up goals for each other which is a bonus, it's not just down to one man.[LNB]"They could score another 20 between them before the end of the season.[LNB]"It wouldn't be easy to find another partnership that would produce the same goals.[LNB]"But we will see over the next few weeks what will happen."[LNB]MacDonald admits his former club were lucky to survive a Celtic Park pounding but is confident that they can quickly rediscover the form which saw them score 23 goals in their previous five games.[LNB]He said: "Rangers have had width and pace in the last few games but with Kenny Miller missing through suspension and Nacho Novo having to come off early with an injury, that was lost at Parkhead.[LNB]"And with squad so depleted with injuries, it was always going to be difficult.[LNB]"In saying that, I can't remember seeing such a one-side Old Firm match, nevermind playing in one.[LNB]"Celtic dominated the whole game and Rangers never got out the traps.[LNB]"It was wave after wave of Celtic attacks. Rangers couldn't keep the ball but they scored from the one effort they had on goal and so they will not be complaining.[LNB]"There are still two Old Firm games to come in the SPL and Celtic will be up for them.[LNB]"They will be hoping to take the chances that they missed on Sunday.[LNB]"But the next few weeks will be vital.[LNB]"Rangers need to get back to playing the way they were before the Celtic game and I think they will do that.[LNB]"Walter will just have to keep his players knuckling down and winning games.[LNB]"It is Celtic that can't afford many more slip-ups."[LNB][LNB]
