Clement wanted to sign “electric” UCL hero for Rangers, but he ended up with Cerny instead
Glasgow Rangers suffered their first defeat in the rebuilt Europa League on Thursday evening, falling to a superior team.
Lyon won 4-1 at Ibrox, while Philippe Clement’s team struggled to score goals.
It has been a problem for some years, as the Light Blues have failed to replace Alfredo Morelos, who left in the summer of 2023.
The outcome of the game could have been slightly different if Vaclav Cerny had placed the ball into an empty net after only seven minutes, missing a chance that appeared more difficult to miss than striking the back of the net.
Vaclav Cerny’s performance for Rangers vs Lyon
Rangers were unable to score more than once in a game that demanded precision play from their front four.
Tom Lawrence scored for the fourth time this season, and Nedim Bajrami impressed on the left wing.
Cerny missed numerous chances and performed poorly on the pitch, with no duels or dribbles. He was substituted by Dujon Sterling with 20 minutes remaining.
Vaclav Cerny’s Rangers statistics
During the summer window, Clement signed the Czech winger on a season-long loan in order to strengthen his first-team squad.
After scoring four Bundesliga goals for Wolfsburg previous season, the Belgian’s move appeared to be a wise one.
During his first six games before the international break in September, the 26-year-old scored once and assisted twice for the Ibrox side, demonstrating his quality.
Despite starting for the Czech Republic in the Nations League match against Ukraine, Cerny has seemed a shell of his former self in recent weeks.
Despite starting both Europa League matches, the winger struggled to create opportunities, averaging only 0.5 critical passes and 0.5 dribbles per game.
Given this, may Clement drop him to the bench for the Premiership match against St Johnstone on Sunday evening? His heart isn’t quite looking in it right now.
This could provide Ross McCausland the opportunity to demonstrate his ability from the outset against the Saints. Given that he scored against them in the League Cup in August, the Northern Irishman may be given a chance to do so again this weekend.
If Clement had his way in the summer, another player could have competed for a place in the team against the Saints, as the Gers missed out on a familiar face.
Rangers missed out on Abdallah Sima in the summer
Following the conclusion of his loan tenure, it was evident that the Light Blues were considering bringing Sima back to the club for the 2024/25 season and beyond.
Clement confirmed contact with the winger, stating: “I’ve been in touch with him, of course.” He is like one of my sons. Abda adores the club. Abda like the way we played last season and his involvement in it. He adored his teammates and the staff.
“But at the end of the day, Brighton is the owner, so it’s all about the money.” At the moment, it is impossible. But we’ll see what happens along the way because we’d love to have him back. We’ll see if it’s doable.
During his single season with the Light Blues, the Senegalese attacker scored 16 goals and assisted twice.
After a summer full with rumours about his future, it was evident Rangers wanted him back, but the potential gem ended up joining French side Brest on loan for the 2024/25 season.
| Abdallah Sima’s stats for Rangers last season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metric | Premiership | Europa League |
| Goals | 11 | 3 |
| Assists | 2 | 0 |
| Big chances created | 2 | 0 |
| Key passes per game | 0.8 | 1 |
| Successful dribbles per game | 1.2 | 1.8 |
| Via Sofascore
|
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Given how he has started the campaign for the Ligue 1 side, it represents a glaring error by Clement in not securing his signature during the summer.
Abdallah Sima’s stats for Brest
The winger, rated at €7.5 million (£6.2 million) by Transfermarkt, has had a great start in France.
Sima has three goals and one assist in seven top-flight and Champions League appearances. He has shown his genuine potential in Europe’s top club tournament.
On the first matchday, the winger scored in the club’s first-ever European encounter, a 2-1 victory against Sturm Graz, but things got even better in midweek against RB Salzburg.
Brest won 4-0 away from home, and Sima, nicknamed “electric” by James Tavernier, scored twice.
Sima’s impressive performance on the continent included three dribbles, a lost opportunity, and four shots.
A performance like this would have aided Rangers significantly in their match against Lyon, implying that Clement should have attempted to bring Sima back to the club this summer.
Of course, much would have depended on the sum Brighton requested for the player, but wasn’t he a better alternative than Cerny?
Hopefully, the Czech attacker improves over the next several weeks; otherwise, the supporters will continue to turn against him, affecting his confidence.
If Sima continues to perform well on the big stage, Brighton will have multiple offers for him next summer, potentially pricing Rangers out.
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