Philippe Clement admits Rangers have ‘felt’ the impact of a defensive injury crisis which has decimated the backline at the worst possible moment of the season.
Rangers’ resurgent title challenge collapsed over the festive period as an injury-ravaged defence failed to cope with the pressures of the hectic winter schedule.
Jack Butland, James Tavernier, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, Leon Balogun and Dujon Sterling have all spent time sidelined this winter.
But it’s the absence of John Souttar which Philippe Clement claims Rangers have really ‘felt’ with the Scotland international’s absence having a devastating impact on the team’s ’defensive stability’.
Rangers have ‘felt’ loss of John Souttar
There’s no-one who believes in the project at Rangers more than Philippe Clement.
But the Rangers manager is in no position to tell anyone precisely when things will come together and when the club will deliver consistent silverware at Ibrox.
Rangers find themselves 13 points behind Old Firm rivals Celtic but Clement insists there are shoots of progress at Ibrox this season.
For the ex-Club Brugge boss, it’s all about progress, and in the case of John Souttar, Clement reckons Rangers have sorely missed a player who has made a ‘huge evolution’ this season.
”What’s important is that you see the evolution in the team,” said Clement. “What the team is doing and what individual players are doing.
”Of course there are players falling with an injury out.
”John Souttar in one year made a really huge evolution. We lost him now.
”We felt that also, that we lost him, in our stability in the defence.
”So you need to find other solutions again.
“Because of that Clinton Nsiala gets chances to prove himself at this level.”
Rangers board warned over Celtic transfer dealings
At the same time, Philippe Clement has urged the Rangers board to improve the club’s squad as they look to wrestle back domestic dominance from Celtic.
The Rangers manager insists that his young team have shown they can go toe-to-toe with Celtic but now it’s about showing that they can compete across multiple competitions every three days.
After adding Rafael Fernandes to the Rangers ranks this January, Philippe Clement has urged the Rangers board to strengthen the squad further.
Especially since Celtic will be looking to do the same.
It comes after our Old Firm rivals were strongly linked with a January move for £8.5m-rated Real Vallodolid winger Raul Moro.
”It’s impossible to make predictions in time but it’s clear they showed it against Celtic,” said Clement.
”In this Old Firm game and in the league cup, that on the day we can compete.
”It’s about creating every three days and to do that every three days. Mentally, physically, tactically.
”To creare this culture in this group and to make this group better.
”Our opponents will also go in the transfer market to make their squad better so that’s another aspect in that fight.”
