By Alistair Aird
Rangers were the visitors to Murrayfield on Saturday afternoon to contest their first pre-season fixture against Manchester United for 30 years. And after last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Ajax in Holland, the fixture most certainly ticked the boxes for Philippe Clement who has stressed the importance of facing ‘tough challenges’ as his squad complete their build up to the new season.
Much of the talk ahead of the game was the seemingly imminent transfer of James Tavernier to Trabzonspor. Even with his longevity at the club – he signed back in the summer of 2015 – Tavernier continues to divide opinion among the supporters. There is no hiding the fact that his goal contributions for a full back are astonishing – 125 goals and 129 assists in 460 Rangers appearances – but he has rightly drawn criticism for the defensive side of his game, particularly in fixtures against Celtic. Some have also questioned his credentials as a captain and leader too. But while Clement may have in Dujon Sterling someone who can slot in at right back and players in the leadership group like Jack Butland who can take over the armband, it will be interesting to see how he plans to plug what will be a sizeable gap when it comes to those priceless goal contributions.
This was the first time Rangers had played at Murrayfield since October 2017. On that occasion, they travelled to the home of Scottish Rugby to face Hearts in a Scottish Premiership match that came a matter of days after Pedro Caixinha had been sacked following a 1-1 draw against Kilmarnock. And Graeme Murty got his second spell as caretaker manager off to a fine start too. After Kyle Lafferety fired Hearts ahead, Kenny Miller – reinstated to the team after a fallout with Caixinha and made captain – equalised. And the veteran followed that with another strike and an assist for the goal scored by Josh Windass.
When the Rangers team was announced around an hour before kick-off, there were some eyebrows raised.
Todd Cantwell, who had missed the Ajax defeat through injury, wasn’t in the squad again and his exclusion could well suggest that he is another that the manager is looking to move on. It’s fair to say that the two have had a fractious relationship since the Belgian arrived, and Cantwell struggled too often last season to find the form that he had shown at the tail end of season 2022/23. The Englishman will also command a decent transfer fee which Clement can reinvest in the type of experienced players that are required to revive and revitalise his Rangers side.
Clement also opted to start with John Souttar and Ben Davies at centre back which meant there was no place in the starting XI for Connor Goldson. Goldson, who has made 309 appearances since he joined Rangers in 2018, has been rumoured to be attracting the interest of Birmingham City and he is perhaps another of the ‘old guard’ that may not be on his way as Clement uses his first real opportunity to use his new broom to sweep clean.
The inclusion of Jefte and Connor Barron gave the Rangers supporters a first proper opportunity to look at two of the six new additions. Oscar Cortes took the left-wing berth, while Liam Kelly was on the bench. But there was no place for Clinton Nsiala or Hamza Igamane.
For United, their XI was a mixture of youth and experience. Erik Ten Haag handed the recently acquired Leny Yoro his debut and there were places for Andre Onana, Jonny Evans, Mason Mount, Casemiro, and Jadon Sancho. There was a familiar face for the Rangers supporters too, with Amad Diallo listed. Signed on loan by Giovanni van Bronckhorst in January 2022, the Ivorian made 13 appearances in a blue jersey and scored three goals. He was also an unused sub in the Europa League Final in Seville.
As the players completed their warm-up and retired to the dressing room, the stadium was starting to fill up and a good atmosphere was building. But as much as Murrayfield is an excellent venue, access to it is horrendous so while Hampden isn’t perhaps ideal for some, it is a better option as an alternative ‘home’ venue while the delayed work on the Copland Stand at Ibrox is complete. The 15-minute delay in kick-off, required as fans struggled to gain access to the ground, merely reinforced that.
Pennants were exchanged between captains Butland and Casimero and Cyriel Dessers got proceedings underway after a five-second countdown boomed out over the tannoy system.
And the Nigerian number nine was involved right away when he hit the deck holding his face after a challenge from Evans. Often chastised last season despite a decent goal return, Dessers was another linked with a move away in recent weeks. But for the time being, one would think until Danilo is fit enough to play 90 minutes, he will lead the line.
After eight minutes, United forced the first corner kick and from the resulting delivery, Casimero headed wide of Butland’s left-hand post. But after some neat and tidy possession play, Rangers sprung forward to the other end to force a corner of their own when Yoro slid in to deny Dessers.
That type of action was symptomatic of what was an open and at times, fast-paced, start to the game. Both teams were comfortable in possession, with Mo Diomande showing some nice touches and attacking thrusts.
Tom Lawrence, who had netted a free-kick last week, worked a quick set-piece with Scott Wright but whizzed his shot over the bar. And at the other end, Ethan Wheatley looked certain to score when he was picked out by Diallo, but he was thwarted by some diligent defending from Sterling.
Neither side were treating the game as a training exercise, with some robust challenges being thrown in, particularly from the United players. And when Jefte had a nibble at the ankles of Diallo, United had a free-kick in a promising position. Diallo took it and curled a shot inches wide of Butland’s goal. Moments later, Sancho tried to pick out Wheatley, but his cross was cleared for a corner by Souttar.
As the clock ticked towards the half-hour mark, United were starting to flex their muscles. Rangers struggled to get out of their own half due to the fluid passing and movement of the Red Devils. And when they did, things were mopped up without too much fuss by those clad in red and black.
But out of the blue, Rangers carved out an opening. Scott Wright scampered down the right and crossed low and hard towards Dessers. The Nigerian did to tame the ball, but when he spun and shot for goal, he scuffed his effort and it was grasped easily by Onana. Wright then stretched his legs again, but his final effort on goal once again didn’t pose too Onana too much trouble.
After 35 minutes, it was United’s turn to go for goal. Sancho teed up Casimero and his effort was deflected wide for a corner. A solid block from Dessers snuffed out the threat and when the ball rebounded to Cortes, Rangers had an opportunity to break. Unfortunately, he was crowded out. Lawrence then ended a breathless spell of play with a long range shot that had Onana stretching to gather.
But moments later, the deadlock was broken.
Jefte had been struggling to contain Diallo from the off, and he was beaten again as the former Rangers loanee cut inside and fizzed a left foot shot beyond the outstretched arms of a well-beaten Butland. It was no more than Diallo deserved as he had enjoyed an enterprising start to the match.
The goal came after Dessers had carelessly given the ball away in midfield. And the Rangers number nine’s first half was a microcosm of last season. In the opening 45 minutes, he had a passing accuracy of 71% and a mere 15 touches. He had also won just one of his seven duels and surrendered possession six times. Patience among the fans is already paper-thin and its only pre-season.
Although United changed all of their outfield players at the start of the second half, Clement made just one alteration, with Rabbi Matondo on for Cortes. Cortes clearly needs more minutes in his legs but there were one or two flashes of class from him in the 45 minutes he played.
Matondo was involved in the first real attack of the second half, wriggling his way to the bye-line and forcing a corner after good play in the heart of the pitch by Lawrence. Wright’s corner was cleared to a lurking Sterling, but his effort on goal was blocked.
Dessers was next to meander forward, twisting and turning his way down the right. But his low cross couldn’t pick out anyone sporting a blue jersey. It was nonetheless a positive start to the second half from Rangers and they should have levelled the scores after 59 minutes.
Another player who is often maligned, Scott Wright, created the opening for Matondo with a fine, low pass, but the Welsh winger dallied when he should have got his shot away and the ball was cleared. As far as Wright was concerned, this wasn’t the first positive contribution he had made. This was his third key pass, the most of anyone in the Rangers team.
Andre Onana was flapping after 66 minutes. Sterling, played in after some good play from Connor Barron, looped a high cross into the heart of the six-yard area that Onana just about managed to deal with under pressure from Dessers. Wright then bent in a shot that had the United goalkeeper at full stretch. Unfortunately, the ball landed a fraction wide of the post.
But just as Rangers looked to be getting a foothold in the game, United doubled their lead courtesy of a thumping finish from one of their crop of promising youngsters, Joe Hughill.
And then, with 15 minutes to go, came a raft of Rangers changes. Moments after Dessers had bore down on goal before overhitting a pass towards Matondo, NINE players appeared ready to come. Among them were Danilo, Goldson, Balogun, McCausland and Alex Lowry.
With regards to the Dessers opportunity, it was another one of those that you would have expected to see your number nine continue his run and get in a shot at goal. But either Dessers doesn’t have that ability, or his confidence has been shredded already.
The late substitutions took any sting that was left out of the game, and although overall, this was a decent workout, it didn’t tell Clement anything he doesn’t already know.
His Rangers squad remain short of quality and options in key areas, notably at centre forward. We simply cannot go into a league campaign and expect to go toe-to-toe with Celtic if our only genuine option for that role is Danilo. The Brazilian drew a fine save from Onana towards the end of the game, but he needs much more game time to get himself match-ready and it is unlikely that he’ll have all guns blazing when we return to the capital to face Hearts in a fortnight. That leaves Dessers and young Igamane as options. It’s unlikely to be the latter at the moment, and on the evidence of this afternoon, any credit Dessers had banked with the Rangers fans last season is fast running out.
Perhaps the money raised from forthcoming sales will be ploughed into recruiting what we need. The name of Lawrence Shankland will invariably come to the fore if that’s the case. And he is the type of player that we need to score the goals that are required to be successful in Scotland. He has proven he can do that more than most in recent seasons.
Unfortunately for the Rangers manager, securing a fit and firing number nine is only the beginning of the rebuild that is required for a season that kicks off in 14 days.
These are indeed not the best of times.
