Rangers leave Fir Park with only a point after battling back from two goals down to earn a frustrating draw with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.
The 2-2 draw leaves Rangers 14 points off Old Firm rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership heading into this week’s Old Firm derby at Ibrox following the Parkhead side’s 4-0 win over St Johnstone.
Here’s how the Rangers team rated as an uninspiring Ibrox side paid the price on yet another woeful Scottish Premiership away day.
Rangers player ratings v Motherwell
Jack Butland – 3
Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland came out of the team against Dundee and should’ve remained out as his family gets used to having a new born.
Butland was abysmal in Paisley and once again found himself miles off it as Motherwell trickled in an opener under the Rangers stopper in the first half.
Miles away from Motherwell’s second, Butland was lucky not to concede a third after bundling the ball into his own net only for VAR to rule it out.
The goalkeeper then flapped at a Motherwell header from a set play only for VAR to save his skin with by ruling out the goal for offside.
A nervous mess and needs taking out the team for his own good.
James Tavernier – 5
The Rangers captain is never going to be the all seeing all arguing leader Ibrox fans wish he could be and by now what you see is what you get from the skipper.
Got on the ball, was involved down the right hand side but once again lacked quality when it really mattered on a dismal afternoon at Fir Park.
One of few who never hides, the Rangers captain is well and truly on a downward slide and it will be another season with no league winner’s medal for the skipper.
Dujon Sterling – 4
Dujon Sterling is famous for being able to play all over the pitch but the ex-Chelsea kid is never a centre-back in a million years.
Sterling was caught wanting against St Mirren despite a tidy enough display and the defender once again got caught heading the ball into no-man’s land for Motherwell’s second.
Lacks the physicality and aerial command to be an effective centre-back and has cost the club big over the last 180 minutes.
Robin Propper – 3
One of the worst signings of the summer at Rangers, Robin Propper put in yet another disasterclass against Motherwell.
A nervous player who cares more about taking ineffective, flashy touches in his own half when in possession than he does about no-nonsense defending, every striker in Scotland will be relishing playing against this guy.
Sold the jerseys with an awful header on to the onrushing Motherwell player for the Fir Park side’s opener – albeit the goal probably should’ve been ruled out – and is a shaky mess who looks like he can’t wait to get back to the Netherlands.
Started the game, and subsequently completed the 90 minutes, because we don’t have any other options.
That just about sums up where we’re at.
Ridvan Yilmaz – 6
One of the more promising performers on a dismal afternoon in north Lanarkshire, Ridvan Yilmaz was another of perhaps three starters who never hid on the day.
Seriously lacking in quality with his deliveries and is often wasteful, but Ridvan never gives up and routinely created enough opportunities for his teammates.
Can’t criticise the Turk for effort but there has been a distinct lack of quality over his last two appearances.
Nicolas Raskin – 6
Nicolas Raskin is the most influential Rangers player at the moment and probably the club’s de facto captain in the middle of the pitch.
In a Rangers team of overpaid, mollycoddled technical superstars who think they’re better than they are, Raskin delivers bite, energy, commitment and quality on a regular basis.
He’s probably the only one.
Rolls his sleeves up and fights but there’s only so much the club’s number six can do.
That said, Raskin needs to score more and be more effective in front of goal if he’s to be a true Rangers midfielder but he’s certainly on the way.
Mohamed Diomande – 5
Mohamed Diomande is at times the polar opposite to team player and Rangers leader Nicolas Raskin in that when the chips are down, he goes missing.
A clearly talented footballer, the problem with Diomande is that his head goes down whenever the going gets tough.
A bit of a selfish player in this sense, a lack of professionalism, commitment and quality from Diomande is one of the reasons why the Rangers midfield is flailing.
Was certainly much brighter in the second half but if this is what we’re going to get from Mohamed Diomande, questions need to be asked.
Kieran Dowell – 2
If ever the bonkers nature of Philippe Clement’s team selection was to summed up, it was in the inclusion of the eternally disappointing Kieran Dowell.
The Belgian manager might not be able to predict the ex-Everton’s youth performances, but the Rangers support don’t need a magic stick to do so.
Never in a million years a Rangers player and needs to join the rest of the English Championship dross in League One in January.
Embarrassingly predictable performance.
Danilo – 4
Brazilian striker Danilo has shown in recent weeks that he has a lethal touch but against Motherwell it was sorely lacking.
A yard off the pace throughout the match, about now we should be expecting Danilo to be hitting top form but we’re still seeing cumbersome elements from the long, drawn-out injury.
Never created anywhere near enough and is another for whom major questions persist.
Oscar Cortes – 3
Dramatically recalled to the Rangers starting XI and given Clement’s previous suggestions all injured players need an eternity to get fit, it was probably a pointless selection.
Motherwell were always going to be physical on the ball today and compete with Rangers in every department, meaning Cortes was a bit of a passenger throughout.
Had a few good openings on the ball but struggled to impact the match and it’s not really a surprise.
Rangers players are told they’ve got the luxury of glorified friendly matches every time they come back from long-term lay-offs.
Cyriel Dessers – 2
Rangers’ resident number nine is no-longer the polarising player who often turns it on in the big moments and fluffs his lines in others.
Rather, Cyriel Dessers is an incredibly limited forward devoid of confidence who should never have been afforded the privilege of those who donned the jersey before him.
An abysmal performance from a player who wants to be anywhere else, Dessers fluffed a glorious chance for Rangers to take the lead and often plays like he’s never seen a football before.
Time to move on.
Substitutions:
Vaclav Cerny – 6 – Never started the match due to fitness fears ahead of the Old Firm derby. Made a difference when he came on but is clearly fatigued and he failed to fashion the eventual winner. Losing effectiveness due to other players failing to step up and cover him. No chance he’s staying put with this two-bit squad next season.
Hamza Igamane – 8 – Hamza Igamane is going to go on to be a top player and Rangers fans need just enjoy the kid now. But the fact a 22-year-old, who only a few months ago wasn’t ready to play for the team, is now bailing us out is an embarrassment to every forward at Rangers. Two quality finishes rescue a point for Clement, but is it too late for the Belgian?
Rabbi Matondo – 2 – Came off the bench and told to take it easy in this glorified fitness-building friendly. Or at least played like it.
Nedim Bajrami – 2 – Made one run across the Motherwell box but otherwise looked like a fan who’d won a raffle to get the final ten minutes. Pointless substitution that changed nothing.
