Rangers to make three major changes v Fraserburgh – Pundit
Derek Ferguson believes Cyriel Dessers, Leon Balogun and James Tavernier will start for Rangers against Fraserburgh.
Philippe Clement’s side plays host to the Highland Football League outfit in the Scottish Cup at Ibrox on Sunday, 19 January.
Balogun and Dessers both came off the bench in mid-week and found the back of the net against Aberdeen.
Speaking on Open Goal on 16 January at 1:11:02, Ferguson said: “Dessers will start. Balogun will come back in. Tav will come back in as well. Nsiala will play. He’s been in the side. Done terrifically well.”
Rangers must play their fringe players against Fraserburgh
Playing fringe and youth players in their match against Fraserburgh makes strategic sense due to the expected ease of the fixture.
Since Fraserburgh are from a lower division, this game presents an ideal opportunity for Philippe Clement to give lesser-used players some match fitness and confidence.
For Balogun, who has returned from an injury, it makes sense to get minutes under his belt before he can play 90 minutes regularly.
On the other hand, for Dessers, who is likely to be on his way out in January [TEAMtalk, 10 January], starting could serve as a platform to boost his transfer value by showcasing his skills in a game where he’s likely to score or make significant contributions.
This fixture also presents a great opportunity to play some of the youngsters and send a message to the board that he’s capable of promoting talented players from the academy.
It remains to be seen who ends up starting and how comfortably Gers can manage to pick up the victory.
In other Rangers news, the club are closing in on their first signing of the January transfer window after a new development.
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