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“Not just Nsiala”- Rangers dud who lost the ball 30x could’ve just cost Clement his job
The league leaders had faltered earlier in the day, giving Rangers a chance to apply pressure on their Old Firm rivals at the top of the Premiership and close the gap to 10 points with 11 matches remaining. However…
The gap remains 13 points, as Celtic were spared after another disappointing day for Philippe Clement’s side, who suffered a 2-0 loss at home to sixth-place St Mirren.
Second-half goals from Mikael Mandron and Toyosi Olusanya gave the Saints a surprise away victory, with Rangers failing to create a single “big chance,” despite holding 65% possession, according to Sofascore.
Although CEO Patrick Stewart had recently backed Clement, the Belgian’s position is under increasing scrutiny, with many now questioning his future.
While Clement is rightly the main figure responsible for Rangers’ struggles this season, his players did little to help his cause on Saturday.
Clinton Nsiala’s performance vs St Mirren
The focus naturally falls on young Clinton Nsiala, who had a difficult game at Ibrox. The 21-year-old, who joined from AC Milan in June, has been gradually introduced into the team after spending the first part of the season on the sidelines.
However, his performance against St Mirren was far from convincing, and he may find himself dropped from the starting lineup in future matches.
Nsiala was caught out in the build-up to St Mirren’s opening goal, going down too easily under light contact from Mandron, who then raced through and finished past Jack Butland.
The defender was also unable to clear a bouncing ball for the second goal, which allowed Olusanya to score after he latched onto Nsiala’s header.
While Nsiala did experience contact in both situations, the expectation for a centre-back is to be stronger, and these mistakes proved costly for Clement’s side.
Key Rangers underperformers vs St Mirren
While Nsiala had a poor game, he wasn’t the only one at fault. Several senior players also failed to meet expectations.
Among them was captain James Tavernier, who struggled once again. The 33-year-old full-back, despite contributing four goals and ten assists this season, was erratic in possession, losing the ball 30 times out of 103 touches.
Though his role is to create, his performance was disappointing—he completed only one of ten crosses and failed to register a key pass.
Defensively, Tavernier struggled off the ball too, winning just three of eight duels. It was an underwhelming performance from the skipper, and his form continues to be a point of contention for Rangers supporters.
With Clement repeatedly let down by key figures like Tavernier, it’s becoming more likely that the manager will follow in Michael Beale’s footsteps.
However, some may hope that Tavernier also departs in the summer, especially if Clement faces the axe. The captain’s performances this season may leave him with a lot to answer for after such a difficult domestic campaign.
