What the Rangers XI could look like if Clement changed every player as worrying lack of squad depth on show
Rangers have plenty of players on their books - but an alternate XI looks slightly concerning
They have a number of players on their books but Rangers squad depth remains a cause for concern - and just what would an alternate XI look like if you swapped out every player from their last team?
Philippe Clement’s side have faltered in the Scottish Premiership are are already trailing nine points behind co-leaders Celtic and Aberdeen in third place. They are, however, into the final of the Premier Sports Cup where they will meet their arch rivals at Hampden Park next month and have seven points from four games in the Europa League phase.
The likes of captain James Tavernier has struggled to rediscover their best form, but Connor Barron has arguably been the club’s most impressive summer signing, while Jefte, Nedim Bajrami and Vaclav Cerny have also displayed their quality in flashes and are three players Clement is seemingly determined to include in his starting line-up.
Last time out, Rangers scrapped a 1-0 win at home to Hearts courtesy of an early Cyriel Dessers goal. This was their starting XI on the day at Ibrox...
Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefte, Barron, Raskin, Cerny, Diomande, Bajrami, Dessers.
So what does it looks like you change the entire team? In goals is Liam Kelly, an experienced back-up option recruited on a free transfer from Premiership rivals Motherwell in the summer. Feyenoord loanee Neraysho Kasanwirjo is a Dutch Under-21 international and fills in at right-back for Tavernier, while fellow new recruit Robin Propper, who has yet to fully convince, joins B-team regular and long-term prospect Clinton Nisala at centre-half to replace Souttar and Balogun.
Completing the back four is injury-prone Ridvan Yilmaz who comes in for Jefte at left-back. The versatile Dujon Sterling slots into a holding midfield role in place of Nicolas Raskin, while out-of-favour Kieran Dowell steps into Connor Barron’s role.
Finally, Bajrami would be replaced on the left-hand side by Rabbi Matondo in our hypothetical team, so the Welshman’s recent injury lay-off doesn’t apply here. Cerny comes out for understudy Ross McCausland and Mohamed Diomande vacates the No.10 role which can be filled by Ianis Hagi. Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane is selected to lead the line ahead of hitman Dessers
In truth, their second XI on this evidence is not strong enough to mount a title charge, but more realistically lay down a challenge to Aberdeen for second place - a scary thought for a club the size of Rangers.
Alternate XI: Kelly, Kasanwirjo, Propper, Nsiala, Ridvan, Sterling, Dowell, Matondo, Hagi, McCausland, Igamane.