As they say, it’s the hope that kills you in the end.
When Philippe Clement (PC) was appointed at Glasgow Rangers, if I take a breath and think about it rationally, I’d have bitten your hand off to still be in the hunt with 7 games remaining. To be in a position where we’re not reliant on anyone else beating them (Celtic) (I won’t say in our own hands as it’s in theirs too!), we just need to do it ourselves. I still think it’s quite remarkable after the disaster that was Michael Beale.
So, I think it’s fair to say that the manager, despite making some questionable decisions (I won’t absolve him of these, but he’s certainly got much more right than wrong) has done a remarkable job.
But, and it’s a big but, he is in serious danger of falling into the same trap that our previous 3 managers have, 2 of those eventually getting their jotters when the inevitable, what we all know, as we’ve seen it over and over again, comes to pass.
He needs to realise there are players in our group who don’t have the character to win games that matter consistently enough to be champions and he needs to stop playing those players in games that matter, expecting different results from the previous 30+ iterations.
Even then, probability it’s not in our favour this season. We struggle to beat them, as recent results in non dead rubbers tell us, so the result yesterday means we need more than a draw and puts them as clear favourites again. But we still have hope. It may kill us in the end, but as bad as yesterday was, all it did was increase the odds against us. It didn’t decide anything.
Now, onto the summer and the impossible job I think PC has on our budget.
Butland: Realistically, we need to sell him to fund what we need to do elsewhere. Excellent GK, easily the only good signing this season, but we need the funds.
Tavernier: His race is run. He needs replacing. I don’t need a RB who scores 20 goals a season, I need a RB who doesn’t cost us 20+ goals a season. Defences win titles and despite his ability going forward, he can’t defend. And he gets worse whenever it matters.
Goldson: Also race run. Costs us goals / chances consistently and can’t deal with physical strikers or strikers who can run behind. In fairness, part of his issue might be his right back, but still, I think it’s time.
Souttar: I’d keep him, but not as a first choice.
Balogun: Should be playing with Souttar right now IMO, but not a long-term. answer.
Davies: Needs to move on.
King: Haven’t seen him kick a ball. Needs football if he has any chance, which at this stage doesn’t look likely. Loan minimum.
Borna: Don’t need to say much here. Time to say goodbye was last season, or the season before.
Ridvan: Keep, was coming onto a game until injured. Injuries a concern, but would mean only needing 1 RB.
Lundstrum: Doesn’t take us forward. Would be happy to let him leave. We need players who are better than theirs and I genuinely don’t think Lundstrum, the best of what we have, even makes their bench.
Diomande: Too early to tell.
Sterling: Should be phased in at Right Back. Potentially solves that problem without spending money.
Jack: Time to go, great servant, but doesn’t have it in the legs.
Dowell: I would actually keep. Tough on him yesterday having been out so long and he was very poor, but we’ve seen in flashes he could be a useful player. Not a starter, but we need to keep some players!
Raskin: Over-rated. If that £6m is still on the table, I’d take it for funds. Poor on the ball, poor defensively (lets men run off him into the box) but at least grafts.
Cantwell: I’m not a fan, but unless a good offer comes in, I’d keep him.
Lawrence: Again, had his injury issues, but I’d keep him around the squad. Not a first choice.
Hagi: Arguably better for breaking teams down than any other 10 we have, but doesn’t have the required pace. Tries hard enough and is a decent footballer, but his race is run with us I think.
Silva: Nope. Terrible footballer. Can’t believe someone paid £35 million for him. Creates next to nothing, doesn’t score anywhere near enough, doesn’t help his fullback and dives around all over the shop.
Matondo: Squad player for impact, not a starter. I don’t think he’s a great player at all, but he has pace, which could be useful at times.
Sima: Depending on the price, he’s shown enough. But given what we need to do if it’s the £10 million reported, we can’t afford him.
Wright: No, time to move on.
McCausland: Keep, shown more than enough for a breakthrough season.
Dessers: Tries hard. Honest enough. Nowhere near good enough. Keep as a backup only.
Danilo: Didn’t show any more than Dessers when he was fit. Misses too many chances, doesn’t do enough in the buildup. Any takers I’d move him on.
Roofe: Our best striker, but never fit. Time to go.
Cortes: Showed enough IMO, but depends on the fee. Right profile for selling on later.
Anyone I’ve forgotten can go in the “move on” list.
These are obviously my own thoughts only. Plenty will disagree and that’s fine. The intent here is to say that despite the job PC has done, even if we do defy the odds and go on to win the league, it shouldn’t detract from the work needed done on the squad.
My yardstick is generally, “who in our team would get into theirs” because I believe that to win Old Firm games and by extension leagues you need to have at least as many players who would make a combined 11 as them, on their day. At this moment, Rangers have 1 player who would make a combined 11 – Butland (over Hart). Every other position would be filled by their first choice, sometimes their second or third choice, before our first choice.
We need to work over summer to get that closer to 5 out of 11.
Also, should say this isn’t a reaction to Ross County. As horrible as that was, I’ve said similar most of the season about our quality when it matters. We’re still in it, odds against us and I hope we can get the job done, but I don’t want to be saying the same things next season, like the last 2 seasons.
Written by gdog55 April 15 2024 12:39:02
