Youssef Chermiti visibly frustrated as footage analysed from Rangers draw vs Celtic
Youssef Chermiti has an impossible job to do for Rangers after Ryan Naderi was substituted against Celtic on Sunday.
Andy Halliday pointed out one specific moment from the game at Ibrox on 1 March in the William Hill Premiership, where the striker looked frustrated with how the Gers were pressing.
The Motherwell star believes it became impossible for the Portuguese centre-forward to make an impact up front after the former Hansa Rostock number nine was replaced by Mohamed Diomande due to no apparent change in Danny Rohl’s pressing tactics.
With one less man up front for the Govan side, one of the centre-halves was often free for the Hoops, and Martin O’Neill’s team subsequently came back from two goals behind to secure a 2-2 draw.
Danny Rohl will leave fans worried after what’s seen in Rangers vs Celtic
Rohl’s plan for the opening 45 minutes seemed perfect, with Chermiti scoring two brilliant goals for the Gers before the half-hour mark.
While the German manager got the better of O’Neill in the first half, he had no answer for the Northern Irishman after the break at Ibrox.
Celtic dominated in the second half, and it didn’t look like the former Sheffield Wednesday boss had any answers for it.
Rohl did bring on Mohamed Diomande and Djeidi Gassama, but the changes arguably had the opposite effect.
It looks like the German manager was happy to hold on to the slender lead instead of securing the win, which will surely worry fans of the Govan side.
Speaking on BBC Sportscene on 1 March, Halliday said, “You talked about Rangers not changing how they pressed. It then made it an absolutely impossible job for Chermiti to make contact with any Celtic player. I think this is a good example of it. Again, the opposite centre-half being the free player for Celtic, and you can see the reaction from Chermiti there.”
Ibrox heartbreak on cards in William Hill Premiership
Rohl deserves credit for bringing the Gers back into the title race after an abysmal start under Russell Martin.
Now that the former Sheffield Wednesday boss has built up hopes at Rangers of maybe winning the league title this season, it’s more likely that fans in G51 will suffer heartbreak.
After building expectations at the Light Blues, the German manager could potentially find it hard to live up to expectations in the current campaign.
Hearts will consider themselves favourites in the William Hill Premiership, but it remains to be seen how the title race will unfold.
For more in-depth coverage on the Gers, visit Football Insider.