Glasgow Rangers have endured somewhat of a rocky start to the season, winning just two of their opening five matches so far.
The Ibrox side have only scored five times during these games, signifying the area which Philippe Clement must strengthen before the end of the transfer window.
Unfortunately, the Belgian will have to sell several first team players before he even contemplates splashing money on new recruits.
With less than a week to go before the transfer window slams shut, the 50-year-old will have to act swiftly in order to bolster his squad.
The recent 2-0 win over St Johnstone in the League Cup may have secured progress into the quarter-finals for the Light Blues, but the display was far from convincing.
The Gers took a while to find their feet during the clash, scoring two second-half goals to eventually secure a victory, but they will have to improve on this display as the club take on Ross County this afternoon.
Clement will likely make a few changes to his starting XI for the tie. Could this see Danilo drop out of the team given his underwhelming display last weekend?
Danilo's performance vs St Johnstone
The Brazilian has been plagued with injuries since joining the club last summer from Feyenoord, playing only 21 times last term, scoring six goals in the process.
A knee injury against Hearts in December ruled him out for the rest of the 2023/24 campaign, but it looked like he was undergoing a strong pre-season ahead of the current season.
Despite his presence on the substitutes bench for the first four games of 2024/25, Danilo failed to see a minute of action on the pitch, prompting many supporters to question if he was actually fit enough to play.
This was put to bed last week, as Clement started the 25-year-old against the Saints, offering him a rare chance to get some minutes into his legs.
His rustiness was evident throughout the opening 45 minutes, which was expected, of course. He failed to really offer much going forward, failing to register a shot on target during the first half.
Glasgow World journalist Ben Banks gave Danilo a match rating of 5/10 for his performance in the first half at Hampden, stating ‘important minutes for him but not a lot of impact in terms of end product, but looked lively enough. Subbed at half-time’
45 minutes in the legs will do him the world of good, but it is clear Clement will likely drop him back to the bench for the clash against Ross County.
This will see Cyriel Dessers come back into the starting XI.
Cyriel Dessers’ statistics this season
The Nigerian centre-forward has polarised the Ibrox support since arriving last summer. His lack of clinical nature in the opposition penalty box has cost the club plenty of goals over the previous 12 months, but there is no doubting his work rate.
Indeed, Rangers Journal founder Kai Watson, praised Dessers amid the criticism last term, saying: “Say what you want about Cyriel Dessers but his attitude is first class. Despite the criticism he’s had he never hides on or off the pitch.”
A tally of 22 goals from 54 appearances was hardly a bad debut season, yet considering he missed 27 big chances in the top flight alone, he may well have broken through the 30 goal barrier had he been more effective in the box.
Goals
1
Assists
0
Big chances created
0
Big chances missed
3
Total duels won per game
3.5
Successful dribbles per game
0.5
There were plenty of rumours that the 29-year-old was going to depart Ibrox during the summer transfer window, with Atlanta United seemingly coming close to bringing him across the pond.
It looks as though he is here to stay, at least until next summer anyway. Given how close Dessers was to leaving, the marksman started the 2024/25 campaign off in solid fashion.
Across five games, the former Feyenoord striker has found the back of the net three times, while also grabbing an assist in all competitions. Every goal should bolster his confidence and he enjoyed a decent cameo against the Saints last weekend.
Indeed, Glasgow World even gave the centre-forward a rating of 7/10 for his second-half cameo and this should see him start against the Staggies this afternoon.
Dessers has managed to succeed with 100% of his dribble attempts in the Premiership this season after just two matches, while he has also won an impressive 3.5 total duels per game, showcasing his qualities.
He has missed three big chances in just 180 minutes, however, and if this trend continues, he could be heading towards the number he recorded last season.
Danilo will hopefully be given another brief cameo this afternoon, especially with the need to get much-needed minutes into his legs.
Rangers record against Ross County last season
The Light Blues recorded victories over Ross County in two of their three games against the Highland side last term.
Player
Position
Jack Butland
GK
James Tavernier
RB
Connor Goldson
CB
John Souttar
CB
Borna Barisic
LB
John Lundstram
CM
Kieran Dowell
CM
Abdallah Sima
RW
Todd Cantwell
AM
Fabio Silva
LW
Cyriel Dessers
ST
A 2-0 win last August was followed by a 3-1 win at Ibrox in February, a game which saw the Gers register a staggering 43 shots during the entire match, yet they managed to somehow score just three times.
With the season reaching its crescendo, Clement’s side travelled to Dingwall in April, hoping to secure three points to continue their title ambitions.
It was a case of déjà vu for the side, as County prevailed 3-2, recording their first-ever win over Rangers in the process, as the result arguably cost the club the league crown.
With Hampden Park the venue today, the supporters will be hoping for another Premiership win to keep pace with Celtic, especially as the first Old Firm derby of the season takes place next weekend.
Three points is all that matters. The question is, will the £27k-per-week Dessers start the game? Or will Danilo be given another chance to showcase his worth?
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2 ByBrett WorthingtonAug 22, 2024