Chris Sutton and Owen Hargreaves disagree over big Rangers decision v Braga
Chris Sutton was left surprised by Aaron Ramsey’s omission as Rangers lost 1-0 against Braga on Thursday in Portugal.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst confirmed (via Jonny McFarlane on Twitter) after the match that Ramsey was fit but he was still not picked.
Owen Hargreaves suggested that Giovanni van Bronckhorst could be saving him on Ibrox.
“I’m really surprised there was no Aaron Ramsey,” said Sutton on BT Sport (as relayed by The Daily Record).
“There was a lot made about the signing. These are the games you think Ramsey has to play. He’s creative, and they certainly lacked in the final third.”
Hargreaves felt Van Bronckhorst could be saving him for Ibrox. Sutton responded: “Why? That’s a risk isn’t it?”
Hargreaves added: “Maybe he thought they are going to have more of the ball in the return leg, and Aaron would be better on the ball in the return leg.”
Sutton further added: “They lacked that spark in the final third. Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be disappointed with the opportunities they didn’t create.”
Big decision
Following the defeat against Celtic, Rangers can almost forget about closing the gap with their rival in the Scottish Premiership.
It is the Europa League they must focus on. And to be fair, it was a lacklustre performance from the visitors.
The Gers have produced outstanding performances away from home this season, beating Borussia Dortmund in Germany. That spark was missing last night.
This can be due to psychological pressure as well.
Alfredo Morelos has been sensational in European games, and it could be playing at the back of their mind that the Colombian is no longer available to rescue them.
Talking about Ramsey, Sutton is absolutely spot on. The Welshman has hardly featured for the Gers, and if he can’t get a game in Europe, then serious questions should be asked about why he was brought in in the first place.
It was a big decision from the Dutchman to drop Ramsey. The Gers can still win it, but they need to play really well in the second leg.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart has shared his reaction to a “huge” development at Ibrox to come in April.