BBC Sport pundit question ‘strange’ Philippe Clement decision in Rangers win v St Mirren
BBC Sport pundits Charlie Mulgrew and Neil McCann have questioned a tactical decision made by Rangers boss Philippe Clement against St Mirren.
Clement opted to use Dujon Sterling – predominantly a full-back – as a left-sided attacker in a 4-2-3-1 formation for the 1-0 win in Paisley on Saturday (27 January).
Sterling struggled for the majority of the game and was replaced by more natural wide player Rabbi Matondo late on, but Mulgrew is unsure why Clement selected the former Chelsea player in that position in the first place.
“I thought that was a strange decision,” he said on BBC Scotland’s Sportscene [27 January, 8pm]. “When you play with wingers, they have to stay high and wide, and Dujon Sterling is not a natural winger.
“We’ve already seen Todd Cantwell being taken off earlier in the season in a European game because he kept drifting inside – Sterling kept doing that today. It’s a position that’s vital, especially when playing against a back five.”
McCann agreed, adding: “The choice of playing Sterling in a forward position is unfair. This ball into him here is meant for a forward player used to playing with his back to goal.
“But maybe we have to go to this guy here [Clement] and ask ‘is that clever management? Have you looked at the surface and seen it’s bobbly?’.
Ineffective
Sterling was clearly not comfortable with the position he was selected in, having to often pick up passes from the holding midfielders a long way from goal.
Rather than being played in behind, he was instead more central and did not really look like he knew what to do with the ball when he received it.
The 24-year-old struggled to get too involved in the game, as highlighted by his 47 touches [WhoScored] – while he was dispossessed more times than anyone else (three).
Clement clearly wanted to try something different in that area, but Matondo must surely be wondering what he has to do to get the nod in attack instead.
Likewise Tom Lawrence, who was once again called upon from the substitutes’ bench at the midway point.
In the end, it mattered little as Rangers got the job done through Cyriel Dessers’ goal. On the basis of this performance, though, Clement may have to go back to the drawing board.
In other Rangers news, the Gers have made a decision on player who only arrived at the club last summer.
For more Rangers news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.