Rangers manager Philippe Clement says he’s “happy” with his side’s second half reaction in the Europa League draw with Sparta Prague.
But the incoming Belgian coach claims he is not satisfied with his side’s failure to win the match as he praised the shoots of a winning mentality appearing in his team.
Rangers held off sustained pressure in the first half of the eventual 0-0 draw in the Czech Republic, in no small part due to a stellar performance by goalkeeper Jack Butland.
In the second period Rangers bounced back and might’ve won the game themselves with Philippe Clement praising his team’s Europa League response v Sparta Prague come full-time.
“We started the second half much better,” Philippe Clement told the press after the Sparta Prague draw. “It’s a game that was in the balance first half for Sparta, second half for us.
“If you look at the data, the chances are equal and we had more shots on target. It could have been win for us, it could have been a win for them had they taken their chances in the first half.
“But I am happy with the reaction we showed in the second half. It has been a special week, because we lost three left full-backs. Because of that we had to change our system.
“Doing that in just two training sessions is very difficult for any team in the world. I am really happy after showing them images at half-time where the spaces were that they were much better second half.
“We dominated the chances and at the end you can say we could have won the game. They had two really great saves.”
Philippe Clement shifts focus from Sparta Prague
The result has put Europa League Group C back into Rangers’ favour with Real Betis’ victory away at Aris Limassol leaving the Gers in 2nd place, level on four points with Sparta Prague.
With home matches against Sparta and Aris to come before a trip to Seville, Rangers know qualification from the group is firmly in their hands
But despite this Philippe Clement failed to get drawn on the “mathematics” of the situation and urged his players to do the same.
”I am not thinking about it I’m looking at Sunday,” said Clement. I also don’t want my players to think like that, I don’t want mathematicians in my dressing room I want players who go full every game, and to focus on that.
“It was an important point, good mentality and resilience to keep a clean sheet, a very good reaction in the second half with some good chances and good football.
“These are the things to take away and now full focus on our recovery. We have the next game and that needs to be out of focus and not calculating and looking at others in the group. No, we need to look at ourselves.
“Develop physically and tactically, mentally I’ve seen two good games where they showed resilience.
“Technically I expect more than we showed today, in the first half we had too many loose passes. It’s week by week looking at the details and developing as a team.
“I see at the moment a really good mentality in the whole squad and that’s why we need to keep.”
Rangers now prepare to host Lawrence Shankland-led Hearts at Ibrox after the draw with Sparta Prague followed Philippe Clement starting his Ibrox career with a win over Hibs.
