Philippe Clement told how to unlock Fabio Silva potential at Rangers
Philippe Clement has been given advice on how to get the best out of Fabio Silva by one of his former PSV coaches Javier Rabanal Hernandez.
The Portuguese forward spent six months on loan at PSV during the 2022/23 campaign, spending a lot of time under the guidance of Hernandez, who was part of Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s coaching staff.
Since arriving at Ibrox during the January transfer window, Silva has only managed to net four times in 19 appearances, with some expressing their concerns over the performances of the 21-year-old Wolves loanee.
But Hernandez had some tips to get more from Silva.
Speaking to Rangers Review on Friday (26 April), Hernandez said: “It’s about connection. Fabio is not a number nine who creates a chance from nothing.
“At PSV, it was Xavi Simons who provided that. Fabio needs someone who has a good connection with him, to provide passes and combine around the penalty box.
“This connection is what gives the superiority – Fabio is more able to make it into the last 16 metres and convert a goal if this is the case.
“He can be effective in transition but the ball has to come from someone else in the second third of the field or around the last 16 metres. Fabio needs teammates to do this, like his connection with Xavi Simons.”
Can Fabio Silva play a vital role for Rangers this season?
Despite there being just a handful of matches of the campaign remaining, the Gers still have a lot to play for and Clement will hope that his loanee can be the key to success.
Though he was heavily criticised during the Old Firm derby on Sunday 7 April, fans saw a glimpse of his skill and talent as he won a penalty to get Rangers back into the game at 2-0 down.
If the former PSV assistant coach is correct, Clement must try his best to get Silva into better positions, where he can link up more with his teammates and threaten the opposition goal.
While the 21-year-old can sometimes look lost out on the wing, he is also not an out-and-out centre-forward, which makes the manager’s job to fit him in even more difficult.
With just one goal from his last 10 appearances, it is clear that the loanee is not living up to the expectations that surrounded his arrival, though the Belgian remains trustful of him.
Silva could still yet play a vital role as Rangers look to pip Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title and lift the Scottish Cup trophy against the rivals at Hampden Park in May.
In other Rangers news, a “horrible” player is now left with just a handful of games to save his career at Ibrox amid recent criticism.
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