The Ecuadorian’s dismissal at the close of the first half may prevent him from playing in the game’s main event.
Referring to Rangers as a “proper team,” Philippe Clement also disclosed that he would consider appealing Jose Cifuentes’ red card after the midfield player compounded his selection dilemma for the Viaplay Cup Final.
When Cifuentes was sent off in the 45th minute of the 3-1 home victory over Dundee for late catching of Amadou Bakayoko, the Ibrox boss’ midfield woes increased. At that point, the injured quartet of Tom Lawrence, Nico Raskin, and Ryan Jack were already out. Once VAR Steven Kirkland sent the Ecuadorian to the monitor, Kevin Clancy revised his initial booking decision.
However, according to Clement, his player is adamant that he withdrew from the challenge and will now give the situation more thought before deciding whether to file an appeal. Clement was thrown another curveball by Cifuentes red, with Danilo also out ahead of an intense week that sees Rangers travel for a pivotal Europa League matchup with Real Betis before taking on Aberdeen at Hampden on Sunday.
“I have not seen the images back,” the boss remarked. Jose informed me he was trying to regain back the ball that he had lost. He attempted to block the ball, but the other player was only inches quicker than him, so he tackled through the ball and made contact. Jose tries to avoid it; he did not experience it, therefore I would want to see the results in order to get a clear and favorable judgment, allowing us to make an appraisal in the coming days.
“I don’t want to be a half empty guy; I am a man with a half full glass. I must find answers; I don’t want to examine the issues. We experienced a few within the first several weeks, so it hasn’t been easy. I am receiving good solutions from the participants.
After trailing 1-0 in the sixth minute, Rangers bravely rallied to win three points, which ended Clement’s 12-game winning streak. Before Cifuentes was sent off, the Gers were in control thanks to goals from Cyriel Dessers, a James Tavernier penalty, and Abdallah Sima’s 13th goal of the year.
However, the manager maintains that his injured team has demonstrated they are prepared to win championships with yet another valiant display. “The team demonstrated that they are a team,” Clement remarked. This changing room seems to be expanding every week.
That is very important. That is something we are paying close attention to. I am aware that you require a very supportive and competitive dressing room where all members are willing to fight for the squad.
“Without it, trophies are unattainable. Everyone has been able to witness our team’s unwavering unity throughout the past few weeks. Entering the game, performing off-position, and contributing to the team’s success.
“Instead of just sitting it out in the second half, we played to create.” Looking back, the second half was when we had the best opportunities. The players’ physical levels are also increasing; you can see them getting stronger and stronger. We must keep up that work because we are still far from reaching our full potential. There’s still a long way to go. More players must be made fit, and our efforts must not stop. However, if this way of thinking persists, we will
Danilo’s knee injury kept him out until after the winter break, therefore Dessers was thrust into the lead role. Furthermore, Clement stated, “I don’t like to point out one player but it was a really good goal, a striker’s goal that everybody wants to see.” Clement also acknowledged that Connor Goldson had been rested ahead of a busy stretch.
“Aside from that, he worked and performed his job. He needs to improve physically, and I want him to do so for the next ninety minutes.
Before halftime, Todd Cantwell’s goal was disallowed, and Clement changed his team to counter the red card at the interval. Additionally, the manager—who was penalized for sulking at the referees—stated: “It was entirely tactical.” Todd deserves better because he was playing well and put in a lot of effort in the first half.
It’s unfortunate to remove him after his excellent performance in the previous game, but at that point, decisions must be made for the team as a whole, not just one player. The upside is that he won’t be tired by Thursday. At that point, you must organize yourself well in order to defend effectively and compactly.
“In the first half, I was content with a number of positive moments. I think we scored four goals because I don’t understand why Todd’s goal was called back. If it’s not a clear foul at that point, I believe it’s preferable to just let the play go without calling a flag and use VAR to adjust the play if necessary.
That’s the reason I began crying at that very moment. Achieving goals requires a lot of work. It’s not simple. You have to accomplish a number of things correctly, and I erred by continuing to boil for a short while. I apologized to the referee for this reason following the game. Since I’m only human, I err sometimes.
