Rapid star 'maybe annoys a lot of Rangers fans' as electric moment points to an Ibrox flaw
The star arrived at Rangers last summer from Sheffield Wednesday.
A Rangers star showed what he’s capable of against Hearts - but a pundit reckons it showed why he leaves some punters frustrated.
A Youssef Chermiti hat-trick inspired the Ibrox side to a key 4-2 win in the Premiership over leaders Hearts on Sunday. They now sit two points off first place and Chermiti’s hat-trick was rounded off after Djeidi Gassama broke at speed up the pitch after coming on as a sub, playing a nice pass into his teammate to finish.
Gassama initially impressed after arriving from Sheffield Wednesday, and while he’s now working under former Owls head coach Danny Rohl, consistency in performance is not something he’s had in plentiful supply over the entirety of this term. Kris Boyd was on Sky Sports punditry duty and reckons the former Sheffield Wednesday star’s electric moment showed why fans want to see more from the winger who’s scored eight goals with four assists this term.
Kris Boyd on Djeidi Gassama
Ex Rangers striker Boyd said: “I think this is why Gassama maybe annoys a lot of Rangers fans as well because when you see it when he's on it, he's very difficult to stop. He's direct, he's got pace and he's got quality at the end as well. Because it's quite easy for a lot of people just to try something else because of that run. But he composes himself, he realises his teammates are better positioned there as soon as he comes in.
“It's a perfectly weighted pass just for Chermiti to take a touch, get it out of his feet and just rifle it into that fat corner. It topped off what was a good afternoon for Chermiti. I mean, that's a terrific strike right at the goalkeeper's feet, gives him no chance.
“I was critical on his finishing on Wednesday nigh. I felt the chance he had at Motherwell, he's got to hit it into the ground. But that one there, he's given the goalkeeper absolutely no chance because it's low, hard, at his feet. He had absolutely no chance of saving that and it was a good afternoon for Chermiti because it will do his confidence no harm, that's for sure.”
Lawrence Shankland on Rangers vs Hearts
Injured Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland was on punditry duties alongside Boyd and noted how his team were dragged apart for the fourth Rangers goal, but insisted it’s a game that will be put behind them quickly.
Next up for Rohl and Rangers is an away test at Livingston. Shankland said: “Defensively, obviously, it’s a disappointing day. You do have them. Obviously, Rangers done well to cause us problems in different areas and you can see at the end there, we committed bodies forward and how stretched we were.
“They do really well on the counter to punish us. But listen, things are still good where we are. We're in a good place. We're still playing really well and listen, it's a disappointing day. But we move on quickly.