Rangers team news as Keith Jackson makes Cyriel Dessers prediction at Ibrox
Keith Jackson has predicted that Cyriel Dessers will once again be the one to “carry the load” and lead Rangers’ frontline when they face Real Betis in the Europa League.
Philippe Clement’s side travel to Spain on Thursday 14 December, looking to keep their Europa League hopes alive after a disappointing draw to Aris Limassol last time out.
Danilo has been ruled out with a new injury, leaving Dessers as the only recognised centre-forward in the Gers’ ranks and Jackson has predicted the Nigerian will start again against Betis rather than move Adballah Sima into a more central role.
Writing in the Daily Record (11 December, page 38) he said: “It looks like Cyriel Dessers will have to carry the load again.
“Abdallah Sima is an option for a more central role but Philippe Clement may be reluctant to move him in from the left, where he has been pretty prolific.”
Stick with him
It is safe to say that Dessers has come in for a lot more criticism than most Rangers players this season after a difficult start to life since arriving in Glasgow, but with the limited options at Ibrox currently, Gers supporters will have to get behind their number nine.
The 29-year-old picked up his seventh goal of the campaign against Dundee last time out and his fifth in the Scottish Premiership in a reasonable attacking performance that saw him take five shots and register an xG of 0.5.
Dessers is far from the perfect forward and in an ideal world the Light Blues would have a much more prolific and consistent centre-forward to lead the line in Betis on Thursday night, but Clement is going to have to work with what he’s got and try to get a result.
Sima has been exceptional from the left flank in recent weeks and has rediscovered the form that made him such a force to be reckoned with earlier in the season. It would be a mistake to move him away from the position which has seen him perform so well, especially in such a crucial game.
No matter who starts where against Betis, Clement and Rangers just have to find a way to claim all three points.
In other Rangers news, Clement has shared his verdict on the Light Blues appeal after Jose Cifuentes’ red card against Dundee