Cyriel Dessers wows BBC Sport’s Tom English with ‘sumptuous’ response to furious Rangers fans vs PSV at Ibrox
Cyriel Dessers’ assist for Rabbi Matondo’s goal as Rangers drew 2-2 with PSV was “sumptuous” just as he was “getting it in the neck” from his own fans, according to Tom English.
The BBC Sport journalist wrote on the broadcaster’s website on Tuesday night (22 August), after the final whistle of the first leg of the play off, that the striker was getting “justified stick” from the stands amid a performance that amounted to “joyless grind against a backdrop of an impatient stadium” but produced a moment of real quality.
The Nigerian international delivered a perfect pass curled round the visiting defence from right to left for the onrushing substitute Matondo to come onto and slot home for the Gers’ second on the night, and English suggested the “disapproving bellows of 50,000” earlier in the game when Dessers hadn’t got on the end of a cross had sparked him into life.
Dessers know has two goals and that assist in five Light Blues appearances in all competitions since his £4.5million [Daily Mail, 4 July] arrival from Cremonese this summer.
But he, and fellow attacking signings Sam Lammers, Danilo and Abdallah Sima, who scored a wonderful first at Ibrox against PSV, haven’t fully clicked yet.
Reminder
Michael Beale didn’t buy Dessers for no reason and the assist was a timely reminder of his quality for fans growing impatient with the team’s lack of fluidity so far this in the new campaign.
The effect of an Ibrox night in Europe can lift even the flattest side at times and the PSV draw was a sign that this new-look outfit can compete with high quality teams.
Sima’s excellent strike curled into the top corner in the final minutes of the first half was also more of what the manager would have expected when he brought the Senegalese forward in on loan from Brighton.
The jury is still out on the attacking arrivals this summer, and there is still the feeling that there is some spark missing from the unit.
Matondo’s recent rise from the obscurity he spent his first Rangers season in arguably demonstrates that best of all in the wake of Fashion Sakala and Ryan Kent’s departures.
Beale, and the supporters, will hope that the assist from Dessers and the goal from Sima will help them gain the confidence they need, especially when Lammers and Danilo still showed they are perhaps a bit short of some when they came on.
On the plus side however all have already scored for the club, but there will need to be plenty more where that came from for this season to be a success.
In other Rangers news, a Light Blues ace’s career at the club “is over” after he asked to leave and the exit is already “advanced”.