Rangers vs Celtic: Philippe Clement has easy decision to make on Tom Lawrence at Ibrox
Rangers manager Philippe Clement has a massive call to make at half-time against Celtic at Ibrox after a disappointing opening 45 minutes.
The Gers fell behind to a Daizen Maeda goal inside 21 seconds of Sunday’s (7 April) Old Firm contest and were clearly rocked.
Bar the odd promising moment, such as a Connor Goldson header, Rangers could not find any momentum and conceded a second goal via a Matt O’Riley penalty.
Rangers trail Celtic 2-0 at half-time
And the worst part is that without Jack Butland, who made some great saves, the Gers could have been even further behind.
It goes without saying that Clement needs to change things at the interval if the Light Blues’ campaign is not going to completely collapse.
While the defence hardly covered themselves in glory, the attack was completely disjointed. Clement could easily make multiple changes at the break.
If one player is to be hauled off, though, it should be the ineffective Tom Lawrence, who struggled to get involved in the first 45 minutes.
Tom Lawrence the worst of a bad bunch vs Celtic
Many will point to Cyriel Dessers’ lack of impact – and that cannot be disputed – but the striker was not helped at all by Lawrence in particular.
The Wales international – a surprise pick in the XI over Todd Cantwell – twice could have played in his team-mates but failed to do so.
Indeed, Kenny Miller pointed out as much on Sky Sports Football [7 April, 12:21pm]. “Dessers does well again,” Miller said.
“Tom Lawrence, that’s why he’s in the team. He should be making that pass across to Dessers to go and score.”
Lawrence had just 25 touches of the ball in the first half [Sofascore] and completed only eight of his 13 passes.
That, it goes without saying, is not good enough for a player who is in the team to make something happen.
Cantwell is an obvious pick to come on for the second half, while Abdallah Sima is another possible option should Clement wish to change formation slightly.
Either way, a substitution needs to be made at half-time or else Rangers’ title aspirations will no longer be in their own hands.
In other Rangers news, a “weird” twist has emerged ahead of the midweek trip to Dundee.
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