Rangers need to get back to winning ways, not just after the domestic defeat to Kilmarnock, but also because of the last Europa League encounter.
A sobering demonstration of finishing from Lyon settled what was, for the neutral, an entertaining game at Ibrox. Philippe Clement will be hoping that his squad have their shooting boots on for their third Europa League league phase fixture.
With the Rangers team news to take on FCSB confirmed, the manager doubled down and kept his faith in Tom Lawrence in the pivotal No.10 role with no apparent change to the shape.
- READ MORE: Rangers Europa League Squad 2024/25
Philippe Clement explains Rangers team selection for FCSB
Clement is still having to shuffle his pack with injuries to key players in key positions. No depth in the attack has been an issue in previous seasons and it is still an issue for the current Rangers boss.
This doesn’t mean that his hands are entirely tied though. Jefte could have played on the left-wing wing Neraysho Kasanwirjo at left-back.
He could also have kept the more solid pairing of Nicolas Raskin and Connor Barron in the engine room to free up Mohamed Diomande so that he could show what he is capable of in a more advanced area of the park.
Hamza Igamane, in the manager’s own words, is also able to play on the wing and would add trickery, pace and unpredictability.
In Bajrami, Lawrence and Cyriel Dessers, Rangers are hardly blessed with pace.
Clement gives Rangers injury update
Thankfully, there is light at the end of the tunnel in terms of forward options with the Belgian manager reflecting on the return to fitness of Danilo, who scored for the B team on Wednesday night against Stenhousemuir.
“Yesterday I was at the second team game, watching the young guys, watching Danilo back scoring a goal and getting back in shape. He still has a long way to go.
“Dani still has a way to go but he is also going to be important in the things we want to achieve in the next couple of months.”
It’s a similar situation with Ridvan Yilmaz who, if available, gives Clement more flexibility with Jefte and how the young Brazilian is used.
Giving an update on the Turk’s availabilty, Clement revealed:
“He’s not yet in the selection because Ridvan trained now for the second time with the first team.
“He came out of a serious injury and it is too fast to put him in a game but he is in a positive way.”
With teams like Man Utd and Spurs on the Europa League fixture list, this is a game that Rangers would have targeted as a three pointer.
Injuries or no injuries, there is still enough quality in the starting XI to get the job done, as long as they don’t have the same mentality as last weekend and Clement’s gamble doesn’t backfire.
