Philippe Clement insists that had it not been for those dastardly goalkeepers, Rangers fans might be sitting a little more comfortable in the Scottish Premiership.
That’s because the Belgian manager has hailed St Johnstone goalkeeper Joshua Rae as having his ‘game of the season’ in the Scottish Premiership clash at McDiarmid Park.
Rangers have been on the receiving end of criticism for another drab performance in the 1-0 win in Perth.
But Philippe Clement insists things would’ve been different had it not been for Rae, who did produce a number of saves to keep Rangers at bay throughout the game.
It comes after Jack Butland claimed Jack Walton was the ‘best player on the pitch’ in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Dundee United at Ibrox.
Philippe Clement singles out St Johnstone star
“It was a good performance today,” Clement told the press after the game. “Only thing we missed is to score second, third or fourth goal.
“To finish off the game earlier and kill the belief of the opponent, what we did well against Nice.
”But we have to say it also it was a really good goalkeeper on the other side.
“It’s a little bit annoying on my side because it’s a few weeks that I’ve had to repeat that way.
”But that’s part of football, that apparently goalkeepers against us they play their game of the season.
”And that was the case because a few really good finishes and actions but he kept his team in the game.”
Rangers manager on continual ‘improvements’
Philippe Clement has also urged his Rangers team to improve in crucial moments after the win over St Johnstone.
Whilst the Rangers manager hailed his team for limiting the Saints’ goalscoring opportunities, the Gers boss wants to see better decision-making at Ibrox.
Clement has also asked his team to be more ruthless in the final third, insisting this Gers team are still a ‘work in progress’.
”At the end it’s also crucial to not concede chances,” said Clement. “We have for the second time in a row only one shot on target from the opponent.
”Last week it was a goal. Now not. And we need to continue in that way, keeping clean sheets and being defensively strong.
“I don’t speak only about the defence, it’s the whole team working hard for that.
”I see a lot of improvements with all the squad in what they are doing. It’s now continuing all these things.
”What we talked about the last weeks and months. The mistakes we made to take it out of the game, you see it less and less, and then to grow like that.
”And then in the final third to sometimes have better positioning, to sometimes have better decision-making also. It’s still a work in progress.”
