How Derek Cornelius can help Rangers get the best out of John Souttar by copying Scotland tactic
Rangers confirmed the signing of Derek Cornelius from Marseille on transfer deadline day, and fans are excited to see him in action.
Cornelius has joined on loan with an option to buy, and the Canada International will bring a lot of experience to the back line.
Rangers have struggled defensively under Russell Martin, and new signing Nasser Djiga has particularly disappointed.
John Souttar is the most experienced out of Rangers’ central defensive options, but while he has struggled to hit his best form, the arrival of Cornelius could help him reach his top performance level.
John Souttar can move to Scotland role for Rangers
Souttar has lined up as the left-sided centre-back for most of his appearances in recent seasons, with Djiga and Leon Balogun among the alternatives who have played on the right.
This is in contrast to the role he plays for Scotland, as evidenced by Souttar’s strong performance alongside Grant Hanley against Denmark.
- Souttar has made 104 appearances for Rangers, and while he has been one of their better defenders, there have been some poor errors creeping into his game.
- The 28-year-old has made 16 appearances for Scotland, and has mostly impressed on the International stage.
| Stat vs Denmark | John Souttar |
| Clearances | 9 |
| Headed clearances | 6 |
| Blocks | 2 |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Tackles | 1 |
Souttar was excellent against Denmark as he helped Scotland keep a clean sheet, and he lined up as the right centre-back, rather than on the side he plays on for Rangers.
Many have questioned why Souttar often performs at a higher level for Scotland than he does for Rangers, and this simple positional change may be the best way to add more consistency to his game.
Derek Cornelius can form strong partnership with John Souttar
Cornelius could be the solution for Souttar to move to his best position, as the Canadian will arrive as a left-footed centre-back more naturally suited to that side.
The 27-year-old is also a lot more experienced and older than the other options Rangers have, in Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez.
Having a senior partner with 36 International caps to his name alongside him could be beneficial for Souttar, and forming a consistent partnership could be the best way to become more defensively solid as a unit.
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