Nedim Bajrami blasted live on BBC for ‘glaring, glaring’ failure in Rangers win vs St Mirren
Nedim Bajrami was slammed for his “glaring, glaring miss” in the tight 2-1 Rangers victory over St Mirren, by Steven Thompson.
Commentating live for BBC Sportsound on 27 October the ex-Ibrox striker reacted as a Neraysho Kasanwirjo cross deflecting through to the Albanian midway through the first half via Saints goalscorer Alex Gogic.
With the scores level at 1-1 Bajrami was left with a one-on-one chance against Ellery Balcombe but could only manage to smash a harmless shot straight into the near side-netting to the bemusement of Thompson.
He said (3.32pm): “The cross comes in [and] Gogic has got to deal with it. He doesn’t, he slashes at it.
“It falls to Bajrami, unmarked at the back post. I mean it’s a tight angle but again, much like [Toyosi] Olusanya’s effort earlier in the game, you have got to hit the target there.
“He puts it into the side-netting. That is a glaring, glaring miss.”
Philippe Clement alarm bells as Rangers revert to type
Rangers, almost to a man, were poor in the first half at Ibrox in a far cry to the performance they put on to blow away FCSB in the Europa League just three days earlier.
Bajrami was one of a few who eventually grew into the game after the break and showed a bit of what they can do, but virtually nobody came close to the levels of the 4-0 win in midweek.
Mohamed Diomande’s early opener was fairly fortuitous as it fell to the Ivorian after Nico Raskin’s shot was parried, with Bajrami having done some good work to recycle the ball from the left, but Robin Propper appeared to be on a one-man mission to gift wrap chances for Olusanya to equalise at the back.
Gogic headed his side level from a corner, beating Propper in the air, and it took the introduction of the much-maligned Cyriel Dessers off the bench at half-time to conjure up one moment of quality to assist Vaclav Cerny for the winner.
Bajrami was far from the worst offender on the day but his first-half attempt, fired lamely into side-netting when a shot across, or possibly under, the keeper was the only way he would find the net, was indicative of what has been the problem too often domestically this term.
Three seasons ago Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side went on a rousing run all the way to the Europa League final in Seville, but the exact same sort of sluggish performances back in the Scottish Premiership meant he never came close to the title and he didn’t last long the next season.
Some fans still believe he was dispatched too soon, and the fact it was Michael Beale that replaced him probably supports that.
Philippe Clement’s job appears to be safe for now despite growing pressure around it following the 1-0 loss at Kilmarnock last weekend, but alarm bells should be ringing for him if his players can deliver impressive performances in Europe but regress so badly back in the league, because that is a recognised pattern and has got those before him sacked.
In other Rangers news, David Tanner couldn’t believe what Gers fans were doing outside Ibrox that is barely ever seen.
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