Mohamed Diomande outclassed by Callum McGregor in ‘runaround’ Rangers v Celtic verdict
Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande was “given the runaround” by Callum McGregor in the 3-0 Old Firm defeat against Celtic, according to Andy Newport.
Writing in the Daily Record (1 September), Newport bemoaned the continued inability to deal with McGregor in Old Firm matches, as he controlled the game and scored Celtic’s third goal at Parkhead.
Newport said that Diomande was the latest player tasked by Philippe Clement to keep McGregor at bay, pointing out that both Tom Lawrence and the departed Todd Cantwell have failed at that in recent times.
He wrote: “(Clement) tried tasking Todd Cantwell and Tom Lawrence with a snuffing-out job last season. The result? Shushburgers are off the menu at Ibrox and Lawrence is still eating humble pie.
“This time it was Mohamed Diomande asked to sit on McGregor as Clement gave the high press a go.
“The Ivorian might have potential, but McGregor is nailed-on class and it was no surprise to see Diomande hooked having been given the runaround for 58 minutes.”
Philippe Clement fails yet again at Rangers
McGregor’s deflected strike at Celtic Park put the icing on a comfortable victory for his side in the first Old Firm of the new Premiership season, which highlighted the yawning chasm between the two teams.
While the Hoops captain’s goal didn’t come until after Diomande was withdrawn, Clement’s industrious midfield trio of the Ivorian, Conor Barron and Dujon Sterling had long since been carved open.
Bringing on Tom Lawrence in Diomande’s place didn’t make things much better, as having a more attack-minded player in the number 10 role only saw the gaps grow in midfield, with him booked late on.
Clement tried to change things, but yet again his midfield make-up proved no match, and the glaring lack of an out-and-out number six at the base allowed McGregor and the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi to run riot.
Perhaps Nedim Bajrami’s arrival solves the question of how an advanced midfielder works in Clement’s system for the biggest matches, and with four months until Celtic come to Ibrox, the Belgian needs to find a way to make his Old Firm set-up work.
In other Rangers news, Keith Jackson accused one Gers star of “throwing in the towel” v Celtic.
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