Rangers striker Danilo has been given Ally McCoist’s seal of approval with the Ibrox legend raving about the £5 million summer signing during the 2-1 Europa League victory over Sparta Prague on Thursday night.
McCoist’s praise for the Brazilian centre-forward started even before he opened the scoring against the Czech giants. Danilo, right from kick-off at Ibrox, looked a man on a mission, combining the physical presence of Cyriel Dessers with his superior greater technical ability, not to mention a willingness to press ferociously from the front.
All of Danilo’s attributes were on full display as he opened the scoring after just 11 minutes too. Forcing a Sparta defender into a horrible blunder before coolly slotting home.
Visiting boss Brian Priske was certainly right when he predicted, before the game, that Danilo would be a ‘handful’ for his defence.
Danilo shines in big Rangers European win
“The biggest change for me is in the centre toward position. I don’t think there’s any doubt (Rangers) look a different team when Danilo plays,” McCoist told TNT Sport’s live coverage; the former Ajax and Feyenoord man offering far more than Dessers tends to in the number nine spot.
“The centre forward (is) playing a big part. The composure (for his opening goal) is what it’s all about. What composure.
“He just moves his body to the right to open up the left-hand finish, and it’s wonderful. Top class. Excellent forward play.”
Danilo scored Rangers’ first and then set up the second. Picking out Todd Cantwell with a clever pass after an excellent dummy run from Sam Lammers.
In six starts, Danilo now has six goals and four assists as a Rangers player. His impressive return made all the more eye-catching when you consider the injury issues he has been forced to contend since swapping the Netherlands for Scotland.
‘He is a killer’
“He is a killer in the box. I also want him to be a striker who works hard, not only thinking about scoring,” Philippe Clement told Rangers Review last week.
With that in mind, Clement will have been delighted by the nature of Danilo’s opener against Sparta Prague, his work-rate and his finishing ability both coming to the fore.
“He has the individual (quality) to make the difference.”
