By Lee Clark
Rabbi Matondo paid tribute to gaffer, Phil Clement for inspiring both him and his teammates to a thrilling fight back at Ibrox, as Rangers clawed their way to a 3-3 draw after a first half horror show, which seen the light blues concede after just 20 seconds in the third Old Firm derby of the season. Matondo, who’s wonder goal deep into stoppage time earned Gers a point, made it clear Clement was less than happy with his team’s performance, after Celtic raced into a two goal lead and also saw Jack Butland make two crucial saves to keep the scoreline from becoming a complete catastrophe.
The feeling after the game is a positive one but, the way it started wasn’t how we thought or intended it would go. The first half was sticky and when we went in at half time the gaffer told us that he didn’t recognise the team he has been working with for the last five months. We had to show a better mentality. Obviously the boys took that message to heart and you see the courage from Tav, after missing his last two penalties and after the way the game started to step up like that, we just kicked on from there and it showed huge mental strength to get something from the game.
Whilst no one can question the fight of this Rangers team as they fought back from 2-0 down, it really was a shocker of a first half, with both the Captain and Vice-Captain the villains of the piece in that opening 45. James Tavernier and Connor Goldson both had afternoons they would rather forget, although Tav did go some way to redeeming himself for an early blunder, smashing home the afore-mentioned penalty after Fabio Silva was upended. Goldson however, seems to be going through an alarming dip in form, not only giving away a penalty, he looked edgy and uncomfortable all afternoon and even had time to miss a sitter at the other end, where he once again got the timing of his jump all wrong (as he had for the penalty award) and failed to properly connect and put the ball over, when it seemed easier to score.
For ‘Mr Reliable’ who always displays the highest standards, no one will be hurting about the goals we shipped today, more than he and unfortunately this doesn’t appear to be an isolated incident. We have already seen poor goals lost at home to Motherwell and Hibs as well as a shocker of an OG away to Benfica. Is the big man struggling with confidence, or has age finally caught up with him? I was asked today if it was feasible that he could be dropped for games in the run in? Of that, I’m really not sure but, certainly his substitution today, albeit very late in the game, felt like the gaffer had seen enough to take any more chances, after Matondo has screamed home the equaliser in a frantic final ten minutes where Rangers had contrived to un-do all their hard work by falling behind again, conceding a third goal with only minutes to play.
Perhaps a break would do Goldson the world of good? Leon Balogun is fit and ready to go and with the next game being played at a venue, where he excelled earlier in the season perhaps a freshen up of the team and in particular the defence would be no bad thing. Whatever happens in the coming days Philippe Clement has certainly earned the right to call this one as he sees fit, just as Connor has earned the continued backing from the support, in what is undoubtedly a difficult moment as his time as a Rangers player.
And what of that goal from Rabbi? A quite incredible strike for a guy who has been somewhat of an enigma in his time at Rangers. From the moment I first seen him in that friendly against West Ham Utd, I immediately thought that we had a player who could be supremely dangerous, as long as we worked on his end product. Three managers later are we finally seeing a bit more of that early promise? Matondo himself, put a lot of it down to his manager:
It’s the biggest goal of my career, 100%, especially in a game like this. We know how much it means to everyone involved with Rangers so to be able to score a goal like that to help us getting something out of the game, is something I’ll remember. I ran over to him (Clement), because before the game, he asked if I had seen Kevin De Bruyne’s goal yesterday. We obviously do a lot of work in training and he has been working with me about cutting in and getting shots off and keeping them low in the corners. He said to me that maybe one day I’d be able to hit them into the top corners like him so, I was just letting him know I’d done that quite well today.
It was a massive goal, one that could be pivotal in terms of the title race and even just for short term momentum. Rabbi’s strike means we now go to Dens Park on Wednesday with a chance to go top again. Let’s be completely honest, we got away with one today but, after where we were in October I think I’ll take that.
And lets get it right, if that’s Rangers surrendering a two goal lead, after dominating in a game that means so much in terms of the title race, we are all fuming aren’t we? Instead, all that mob want to talk about, is how the referee cheated them and that we ‘celebrated a draw’? Do me a favour. It’s as laughable as it is tragic but, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when you see the arrogance dripping out of their manager and club captain both during and after the game.
This is a match they should’ve been out of sight in yet, we have fought our way back, not once but TWICE to snatch a draw, which now gives us the chance to go top of the league in our very next game. None of that means we have won the title by a long stretch but, we must be the only Club on earth that isn’t ‘allowed’ to enjoy a moment like that. They have had some bizarre ‘comfort blankets’ this season and this one is right up there. I’ve honestly given up trying to work them out.
Anyway, It’s on to Wednesday. Keep Believing Bears!
