Will Clement make bold changes in the south of France tonight?
A victory in France tonight would be a much-needed boost for Philippe Clement as the under-pressure manager seeks another significant European result to ease the growing scrutiny.
The weekend brought another setback for Clement’s tenure at Rangers, with a lackluster draw against Dundee United leaving them 11 points adrift of Celtic in the Premiership. Supporters are unwilling to accept an early surrender in the title race, but it’s becoming increasingly likely that their hope for success this season will have to come from other competitions.
The Europa League remains a saving grace for Rangers, a competition that has brought them plenty of success both in the recent past and historically. While Gio van Bronckhorst‘s run to the final now feels like a distant memory, traces of that same resilience have appeared this season, with a dominant win over Steaua Bucharest at Ibrox and a hard-earned draw away to Olympiacos.
The level of competition rises tonight as Rangers face Nice, who are performing strongly in Ligue 1. The hosts are widely expected to take advantage of a Rangers side struggling with confidence. However, can Clement, drawing on his experience managing in France, find a way to pull off an upset?
predicted Rangers XI
He can achieve that by making the changes that fans have been demanding for years. Nedim Bajrami was touted as a star addition in the summer, but his performances in a wide position have been disappointing thus far. Mohamed Diomande’s form has deteriorated, so it may be time to try Bajrami in the center and see what damage he can cause.
That would also allow him the opportunity to try Hamza Igamane in a wide role, and having another finisher on the field would undoubtedly relieve some of the pressure on Cyriel Dessers, who has been suffering lately.
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