It is typical really that, just as Rangers looked to be solving their attacking issues, Philippe Clement found himself contending with a very unhelpful injury crisis at the other end of the pitch.
When their attack was struggling for fluency, their defence often stepped up to the plate. A case in point, when Vaclav Cerny goal fired an uninspiring side past Dundee just before Christmas, Rangers kept a clean sheet for the fourth Scottish Premiership game in a row.
Their longest run in the top flight since the start of the Giovanni van Bronckhorst era in 2021.
Since then, however, Rangers have found goals easy to come by at one end while conceding an alarming amount at the other. Hamza Igamane scored a maiden Rangers hat-trick against Hibernian last time out but that was enough to secure just the one point at Easter Road as Rocky Boshiri headed home late on.
In fact, Rangers have conceded seven goals in four games since edging past Dundee at Ibrox.
And, much to Clement’s frustration, his suddenly free-scoring attack continues to be undercut by an injury-hit backline. John Souttar, Neraysho Kasanwirjo, James Tavernier, Dujon Sterling, Leon Balogun and even goalkeeper Jack Butland were all missing at Hibs.
Philippe Clement rues Rangers’ injury issues ahead of Dundee trip
“At the beginning of the season, when you have a lot of new players, you need to get things connected,” Clement tells reporters during his Wednesday press conference. “You need to see that everybody learns the principles. You need to start from scratch.
“We went into a period where you have a stability in the defensive part, that we had a lot of clean sheets in a row, where we almost didn’t give away chances. And that we were more struggling still with creating a lot of chances.
“We still had enough to win games, but not in the amount that we are doing now, the last two months. Now, the moment that this offensive part is growing and getting better, you lose a lot of players in your defence, and you need to find their solutions.
“So, in that way, it’s been difficult to create consistency. But it creates also opportunities for other people to stand up, who maybe didn’t have a chance.”
Players such as Ridvan Yilmaz for instance.
Philippe Clement labelled Yilmaz ‘a warrior’ after he impressed against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League as a left-winger. In the absence of Tavernier, Sterling and Kasanwirjo, meanwhile, the £3.5 million Turkey international has blossomed in an unfamiliar right-back berth.
Ridvan Yilmaz marshalled Daizen Maeda brilliantly as Rangers battered Celtic 3-0 – their only win in their last four Premiership matches – with Clement arguing that his stand-out displays out of position speak volumes not only about Yilmaz’s talent but also his mentality.
“In all the clubs in the world, that can get really positive surprises, and I count on that moment. Like Ridvan was a really positive surprise as a right full-back for example,” Clement adds ahead of Rangers trip to Dundee on Thursday night.
Clement delighted with Ridvan Yilmaz impact at right-back
“There is no club in the world who is happy when there are so many centre-backs [unavailable]. It is the same position where you miss players. But it is about finding solutions and that is what we have been doing the last couple of weeks, like for example putting Ridvan at right full-back and [him] doing a really good job there.
“We need to be creative in that way to have a good level with the defence and not concede the goals we did against Hibs from the set-pieces. That annoyed me a lot that we lost not with open play chances but set-pieces, so that is what we addressed.
“I need to make choices around this game because it is also one of the strengths of Dundee.”
Kris Boyd has concerns over Liam Kelly’s ability to deal with Dundee’s presence from corners and free-kicks, after watching Rangers number two flounder in the midst of Bushiri’s dramatic leveller on Saturday.
Kelly may head to Dens Park with a point to prove, then, with Butland yet to return.
