Billy Dodds: Cyriel Dessers is on ‘cliff edge’ at Rangers, ‘He’s got to do something’
Cyriel Dessers is on the “cliff edge” at Rangers following his tough start to life at Ibrox this season, according to Billy Dodds.
Speaking on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast on Monday (8 January, 17:02), the pundit said he thinks there is “something there” for the Nigerian international, but that he’s “taking an eternity over chances” because he’s low on confidence.
He suggested that the 29-year-old perhaps can’t handle the pressure that comes with being at a big club like the Gers, adding that he’s “got to do something” to turn his fortunes around.
“I think there’s something there,” said Dodds. “He’s taking an eternity over chances and you don’t get that as a striker. But that’s down to confidence.
“I think people said ‘yeah, but he’s scored a few so he should be kicking on now’. I’m not saying he’s going to make it at Rangers, maybe he just can’t handle the big club physically and mentally, especially mentally.
“He just looks right now like ‘I can’t handle the crowd, I can’t handle being there, I can’t handle the crowd giving me stick’. But he’s got to do something. I wouldn’t write him off just yet, but he’s on the cliff edge.”
Plenty of opportunities
The one thing Dessers certainly can’t complain about is that he hasn’t had plenty of opportunities in the Rangers side to impress this season.
That is largely down to the injuries suffered by fellow forwards Kemar Roofe and Danilo, with the latter set to miss the next few months of the campaign.
Since joining the Gers, the Nigerian has scored just nine goals in 30 matches as he’s struggled to find the back of the net often enough to prove his many doubters wrong.
He will certainly have to pick things up over the course of the next few weeks, though, as new signing Fabio Silva will be looking to make an impression after joining on loan from Wolves and the Light Blues are going to be without Abdallah Sima, who has joined up with the Senegal squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
After Dessers didn’t receive a call-up from Nigeria on the back of his performances in this campaign, he will instead be looking to fire the goals in for Philippe Clement’s side to help them challenge for more trophies this season.
In other Rangers news, a Sky Sports pundit has shared who would be a “terrific” signing for the Gers.