Tom Lawrence’s passing range could be the key to getting the best out of Cyriel Dessers with the former setting up the latter during Rangers’ 2-0 Scottish Premiership win at Livingston.
It’s not as if Cyriel Dessers has been short of service since moving to Ibrox in a £4.5 million deal from Cremonese over the summer.
But, still, an extra influx of creative quality would not go amiss as the much-maligned centre-forward looks to silence his cynics and bounce back from a pretty dismal start to life in Rangers blue. And that is exactly what Tom Lawrence brings to the table.
Cyriel Dessers scores as Rangers beat Livingston
“I saw Tom with the ball and I know he has a pass that can tear open a defence,” Dessers tells the Daily Record. “I made the run at the right moment and was able to take it on my left foot. And it went in.
“Obviously, it was a very happy feeling to finally get the 1-0 on the board. It was fully deserved after our performance.”
On Lawrence’s first league start since mid-September, the Welshman offered Philippe Clement a timely reminder of his defence-splitting abilities, even if Todd Cantwell and the improving Sam Lammers still appear to be ahead of him in Rangers’ pecking order.
Dessers, however, would be pretty pleased to see Lawrence pick up a few more minutes during a gruelling festive fixture schedule.
‘His main quality’
“Tom’s passes are his main quality and that is something that suits me very well,” adds the former Feyenoord frontman, highlighting Lawrence’s ability to thread balls in behind the backline.
“I am strongest with my face towards the goal. And, if I can make these runs and he can find the passes, it is good for me. I am very happy that he has the assist and I had the goal.
“When you come here you know it won’t be an easy game. We knew that so we tried to go hard from the start. I think the first half was very high-paced and that’s what we wanted. We scored some goals and some were disallowed. I was lucky that mine stood!
“So I think we can be very happy with the performance, especially after the week we had.”
Clement has now picked up six wins out of seven since replacing Mick Beale at Rangers. Dessers, meanwhile, has four goals in nine Premiership starts now.
