Glasgow Rangers were outclassed in the Europa League on Thursday evening, suffering their first defeat in the newly revamped league phase.
Lyon emerged as 4–1 victors from the clash at Ibrox, with Philippe Clement’s side paying the price for not being clinical enough in front of goal.
It has been a problem which has persisted over the previous few years, as the Light Blues have struggled to replace Alfredo Morelos, who departed in the summer of 2023.
The result of the game might have been slightly different if Vaclav Cerny had slotted the ball into an empty net after just seven minutes, squandering a chance which looked harder to miss than actually finding the back of the net.
Vaclav Cerny’s performance for Rangers vs Lyon
In a game which required the front four to be clinical with their chances, Rangers weren’t able to find the back of the net more than once.
Tom Lawrence scored yet again, his fourth of the season, while Nedim Bajrami also looked exciting on the left flank.
It was Cerny who spurned the biggest chance, and he continued to look poor throughout his time on the pitch, winning zero duels and making zero dribbles, before he was replaced by Dujon Sterling with 20 minutes left.
Vaclav Cerny’s Rangers statistics
The Czech winger arrived on a season-long loan deal during the transfer window as Clement was aiming to bolster his first-team squad.
Given that he had scored four Bundesliga goals for Wolfsburg last term, it looked like a solid piece of business by the Belgian.
During his first six games before the international break in September, the 26-year-old scored once and grabbed two assists for the Ibrox side, showcasing his class.
Despite starring for the Czech Republic in the Nations League tie against Ukraine, Cerny has looked a shadow of his former self in recent weeks.
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Although he started both Europa League matches, the winger failed to create a big chance, averaged only 0.5 key passes per game and succeeded with just 0.5 dribbles each match.
With this in mind, could Clement drop him to the bench for the Premiership clash against St Johnstone on Sunday evening? As his heart doesn’t quite look in it right now.
This could give Ross McCausland the chance to showcase his abilities from the start against the Saints. Considering he scored against them in the League Cup back in August, the Northern Irishman could be given the chance to repeat the trick on the weekend.
If Clement had his way in the summer, however, it may have been another player who would be vying for a place in the side against the Saints, as the Gers missed out on a familiar face…
Rangers missed out on Abdallah Sima in the summer
Following the end of his loan spell, it was clear that the Light Blues were looking to potentially bring Sima back to the club for the 2024/25 campaign and beyond.
Clement even confirmed he had kept in contact with the winger, saying: “I’ve been in touch with him, of course. He’s like one of my sons. Abda loves the club. Abda loves the way of playing we had last season and his role in that. He loved his teammates and the staff.
“But at the end of the day, Brighton is the owner so it’s all about the money then. At the moment it’s not possible. But we will see along the way if there comes a possibility because we would love to get him back. We will see if it is possible.”
The Senegal attacker scored an impressive 16 goals for the Light Blues during his single season spell at the club, chipping in with two assists in the process.
After a summer filled with plenty of rumours regarding his future, it was clear Rangers were keen on him returning, but in the end, the promising gem ended up joining French side Brest on a loan deal for the 2024/25 season.
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Abdallah Sima’s stats for Rangers last season |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Metric |
Premiership |
Europa League |
|
Goals |
11 |
3 |
|
Assists |
2 |
0 |
|
Big chances created |
2 |
0 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.8 |
1 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.2 |
1.8 |
Given how he has started the campaign for the Ligue 1 side, it represents a glaring error by Clement in not securing his signature during the summer.
Abdallah Sima’s stats for Brest
The winger – who is valued at €7.5m (£6.2m) by Transfermarkt – has enjoyed an impressive start to life in France.
Across seven games in the top flight and the Champions League, Sima has scored three goals, while grabbing an assist. It is in Europe’s premier club competition where he has demonstrated his true qualities.
On the first matchday, the winger netted in the club’s first-ever European game during the 2-1 win over Sturm Graz, but it got even better in midweek against RB Salzburg.
Not only did Brest claim a stunning 4-0 victory away from home, but Sima – who James Tavernier previously dubbed “electric” – was on the scoresheet twice.
Along with his goals, Sima attempted three dribbles, missed a big chance and took four shots in total during the game, flaunting his attacking abilities in what was a wonderful display on the continent.
A performance like this would have helped Rangers massively during their tie against Lyon, suggesting that Clement should have tried to bring Sima back to the club this summer.
Of course, much would have depended on the fee Brighton would have demanded for the player, but surely he was a better option than Cerny?
Hopefully the Czech attacker gets better over the next few weeks, otherwise the fans will continue to turn on him, impacting his confidence.
If Sima continues to deliver on the big stage, Brighton will have several offers for him come next summer, which could see Rangers priced out, that’s for sure.
