Ross McCausland in line for first Rangers start vs Dundee as Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers must be axed – Chris Jack
Ross McCausland should get his first Rangers start for the trip to face Dundee while Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers have to be dropped “for their own good”, according to Chris Jack.
The journalist wrote in his predicted line-up for Rangers Review on 1 November that the “time has come” for 20-year-old Northern Irishman to make his full debut, with Abdallah Sima a “certainty” to join him in attack, while Danilo “simply must start”.
In contrast the senior pair of summer signings, Lammers and Dessers, “have to be taken out of the firing line” according to Jack, after their struggles continued in the laboured win over Hearts at the weekend.
Jack wrote: “Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers have to be taken out of the firing line for their own good and Danilo simply must start, even if he can’t get through the full 90 minutes.
“Abdallah Sima is a certainty to get a jersey. On the other flank, the time has come for Ross McCausland to get his crack and fans would much rather see him start than Lammers or Scott Wright.”
Spot on
There is mileage in showing faith in players who appear to be low on confidence but if that doesn’t improve results then there comes a point where they need the spotlight taken off them.
Dessers scored a nice goal against Hibs in Clement’s first game in charge but was hooked at the break as Rangers trailed Hearts on Sunday (29 October), while Lammers is looking lost right now and is even accused of losing the faith of his teammates.
Danilo and Sima may have been short of their best against the Jambos but the Brazilian headed home the 93rd-minute winner and the Senegalese Brighton loanee has largely been very good of late.
McCausland looked lively when he came off the bench for Todd Cantwell at the weekend and if the senior options ahead of him aren’t performing then the manager needs to demonstrate a pathway to first team action for youngsters.
If places are clearly up for grabs on merit then, in theory, it should motivate players to produce their best, and in light of a summer overhaul that cost Michael Beale his job the Gers are definitely in the territory of the best man for the job being required in each position, whoever it might be.
There are fears that the Dundee game might end up being called off due to the weather, but the club has released a statement that they are “optimistic” that Dens Park will be ready.
In other Rangers news, the club now “will have to” make another new signing in January as one name emerges as a possible target.