Rangers sub Bongani Zungu might’ve caught the eye of supporters in the 8-0 win over Hamilton, but a player who came on alongside him is showing early promise in his Ibrox career.
There wasn’t much known about former Leicester kid Calvin Bassey when he signed on the dotted line at Ibrox in the summer, but he is emerging as a shrewd piece of business at left-back.
The positive performance of Bassey against Hamilton was summed up as the 20-year-old broke away on the counter-attack at great pace following a pass from Joe Aribo.
Head down and engine revving, Bassey fired up the pitch at great pace but showed superb awareness to cut the ball back to Jermain Defoe who then slid it on to Brandon Barker.
The Ibrox wing man managed a neat first-time finish to take the plaudits but Bassey was central to yet another great team move and showed a bright flash of what he can offer this side.
Bassey also looks like he is revelling life at Ibrox, having never made a top team appearance before coming off the bench against St. Mirren in August.
There’s an infectiously positive feeling around the player, his beaming smile and distinctive haircut showcasing a personality which is a welcome addition to the squad.
That said, there is undoubtedly a rawness to the big man’s game – slack concentration in the 4-0 win at Dundee United stands out as an example – and there will be a learning curve at Rangers.
It’s about how Steven Gerrard uses Bassey but with Borna Barisic the undoubted first choice at Ibrox.
Left-back has also routinely been a problem position for Steven Gerrard with the club left short in recent seasons when Borna Barisic has been out of the team or out of form.
Andy Halliday and Jon Flanagan are not natural in the position and after leaving the club in the summer this was a problem position which needed to be patched up.
The early signs are positive for the Italian-born full-back who could – rather than just fill a void at Ibrox – could go on to be a stand-out player for Rangers in the coming season.
