Djeidi Gassama to pay the price in two Danny Rohl changes – Rangers predicted XI vs Celtic
Djeidi Gassama could be axed from Rangers’ starting line-up for this Sunday’s Old Firm clash versus Celtic.
Danny Rohl‘s side come into the game off the back of a disappointing 2-2 draw against bottom side Livingston last Sunday.
As for Celtic, they secured a 1-0 win over Stuttgart in the Europa League on Thursday, but were still knocked out by a scoreline of 4-2 on aggregate.
With six points now separating Hearts, Rangers and Celtic, the Bears can’t afford to drop points against Martin O’Neill’s side at Ibrox.
Therefore, Rohl may look to make two changes to his side, with Ryan Naderi replacing Gassama in attack.
Djeidi Gassama replaced by Ryan Naderi in two changes
Gassama came back into the starting lineup against Livingston after producing a magnificent assist for Youssef Chermiti’s third goal against Hearts the week prior.
However, he failed to grasp this opportunity, as he remained ineffective on the left-hand side.
According to Sofascore, the French winger created only one chance and registered a pass accuracy of 75 per cent against Marvin Bartley’s side, which highlights his inconsistency.
| Stat | Gassama |
| Appearances | 28 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Pass accuracy | 77.7% |
| Dribble success | 54.7% |
The fact that he’s only scored twice in the league all season is exactly the reason why he can’t be trusted to start, and the contrast between his form and Mikey Moore’s is staggering.
As a result, Gassama will likely be dropped for Naderi, with the German playing up front and Moore shifting to the left wing.
The other change could see John Souttar replaced by Nasser Djiga, who perhaps feels unlucky not to be getting more chances in the team.
The rest of the side should remain the same, as Rangers aim to go five league games unbeaten against their fierce rivals.
Here’s why Youssef Chermiti and Ryan Naderi must start up front together
Although both Youssef Chermiti and Naderi played together in the 4-2 win over Hearts at Ibrox earlier in February, the latter was dropped against Livingston.
Their link-up play that day wasn’t perfect, but it was extremely effective, as the Bears put four goals past the league leaders.
It seems baffling that Rohl didn’t continue with the pair up front together against Livingston, but it’s clear that he will use that goalscoring formula again on Sunday.
Rangers overcame Celtic at the start of January, and given the fact that Auston Trusty is suspended for the match, the presence of two strikers could cause them problems.
The Hoops would have to adjust their game plan to mark both forwards, which could then create more space for players like Moore and Andreas Skov Olsen to drift inside.
Therefore, it seems obvious that starting Naderi and Chermiti together gives the Bears the best chance of securing all three points.
For more in-depth analysis of the Gers, visit Football Insider and have a look at their coverage.