Tom English blown away by Philippe Clement at Rangers amid ‘absolutely exceptional’ win ahead of Aberdeen clash
Philippe Clement is doing an incredible job at Rangers after the “absolutely exceptional” Europa League win against Real Betis, but now the pressure is on to beat a “dangerous” Aberdeen at Hampden, according to Tom English.
The BBC Sport journalist said on the Scottish Football Podcast on 15 December that the Gers boss “is impressing me all the time” as he looked ahead to the League Cup final against Aberdeen after both sides won in Europe.
He was stunned by the performance the Belgian’s men produced in Seville, even if it was just the latest in a series of “unbelievable” results in Europe in recent years, as part of a major turnaround under Clement, but pointed to a need for Rangers to deliver domestically when the expectation is on them to be a greater test.
English said (3m): “I was thinking where does this result place in Rangers’ recent history of great results in Europe, and you wouldn’t say it’s the best result.
“Because, exceptional though it is, absolutely exceptional though it is, this is a team that’s beaten a Leipzig team with [Josko] Gvardiol and [Dani] Olmo and [Christopher] Nkunku and [Dominik] Szoboszlai, a Rangers team that’s beaten Dortmund away from home with [Mats] Hummels, [Manuel] Akanji, Marco Reus and Jude Bellingham.
“So this is a Rangers team that has pulled off some unbelievable results in Europe, last night just being another one to the collection. The fact that there was serious jeopardy in this game makes it all the more special. Everything was riding on this, for both teams.
“They go to a club that was unbeaten at home, just had a very good result against Real Madrid, and they beat them, scored three goals, put a lot of incredible stuff into the game. You look at Rangers last night and you think what a job Clement has done.
“He’s put goals into this team, he’s put confidence into this team, he’s put a bit of steel into this team, belief.
“The results they get in Europe, they’re results that not a lot of people are expecting them to get, there’s not a lot of expectation on them but they deliver in Europe. It’s domestically where there is expectation on them [where] they need to bring that kind of intensity and that kind of class.
“But it was a wonderful, wonderful night for Rangers.”
Building
The win in Spain was probably the jewel in the crown for Clement in his time at Ibrox so far, but it won’t mean anything much if he doesn’t back it up at the weekend.
Plenty of supporters would have stomached a defeat and an exit from the Europa League if it ensured the Viaplay Cup was secured at Hampden, so the Belgian must go one better immediately.
He couldn’t go in without much of a better psychological boost for his players, but it was often the return to domestic fixtures which derailed Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s reign after those memorable wins two seasons ago.
A cup final at Hampden should be enough of an occasion to prevent the players from experiencing a lull in intensity, but with Aberdeen also coming off a great win over Eintracht Frankfurt and infamously tricky opponents it is anything but a done deal.
There have been some bumps along the way in the form of disappointing draws against Aris Limassol and the Dons but Clement has certainly shown signs of being the answer Rangers needed, and with Michael Beale now set for his next job it is difficult for anyone to say the club got it wrong to make a change.
Clement is still unbeaten as Light Blues boss and the opportunity to lift a first trophy in charge is absolutely not the place to lose that record.
In other Rangers news, the club have issued a response to an official partners over “misinformation” around a star man after the big win.