Glasgow Rangers continued their 100% record in 2024 after securing passage into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals following a 2-0 win over Ayr United at the weekend.
As the saying goes, there is no rest for the wicked and the Light Blues are back in action this evening against Ross County, with Ibrox being the venue.
The Gers have the chance to move level on points with Celtic at the top of the Premiership table with a win over the Staggies tonight, and this is clearly all the motivation the starting XI need to hear.
Philippe Clement has totally transformed the club since taking over last October and won one trophy already in the bag this term. Could he secure what would be a sensational treble in the coming months?
With the tie tonight being their fourth game in 11 days, the rotation of his squad will be vital in order for the club to continue their excellent run and Clement will surely make a few changes to his team.
Rangers team news vs Ross County
Clement spoke to the media prior to the clash against Ross County this evening and gave an update on a couple of squad members, most notably Leon Balogun and Ryan Jack.
“Leon trained with a mask,” said Clement following Balogun’s withdrawal against Livingston after suffering a facial injury.
“We still need to make some adjustments with the mask. That’s always normal, I have some experience with that getting some knocks. So yeah we will see tomorrow how he is, if he can be in the squad or not.
“Ryan Jack will not be in the squad because he is still in a kind of individual programme to rebuild him.”
While Balogun may miss out, Jack will certainly be absent from the squad this evening.
Ryan Jack’s season in numbers
The midfielder has entered into the final few months of his contract at the Ibrox side, and with his recurring injury problems, might he depart at the end of the season?
Once a regular in the starting XI, Jack has been utilised as more of a rotation option this term, making just 21 appearances throughout 2023/24, of which only 12 have been starts.
Among the squad this season, Jack ranks in a lowly 11th spot for accurate passes per game (26.7), while also ranking 24th for tackles per game (0.2) and 16th for key passes per game (0.6), which clearly shows that even when he has been given a chance in the starting XI, the 31-year-old has failed to produce the goods.
With Clement signing Mohamed Diomande during the January transfer window, plus being able to call upon Nico Raskin, John Lundstram and even Dujon Sterling, his central midfield area looks stacked.
This could suggest Jack won't be given an extended contract, yet he still has a big part to play between now and the end of the season, especially with the club in a title race.
Against County, however, the Belgian manager will have to replace Jack and this could mean Lundstram comes back into the starting XI having been rested against Ayr last weekend.
John Lundstram will play against Ross County
Since Clement arrived in Glasgow, Lundstram has been one of the first names on the team sheet and his performances have been wonderful.
In fact, the former Sheffield United midfielder has missed just one match since then, a 2-0 win over Motherwell on Christmas Eve due to injury, and he has looked back to his old self under the Belgian.
The Englishman has been a rock in the heart of the midfield and his performances have been key to the Ibrox side going on a wonderful run under the former Club Brugge manager, losing just once since he took charge.
A rest against Ayr would have done him the world of good, and he will be thrust back into the starting XI this evening as County are the visitors to Ibrox.
John Lundstram’s future is still unclear
Like Jack, the 29-year-old is also out of contract at the end of the current campaign, yet his displays will surely mean Clement offers him an extension sooner rather than later.
The £22k-per-week dynamo has made 136 appearances for the Gers since joining in the summer of 2021 and has worked his way to being a key figure in the starting XI.
60.9
63.6
1.4
1.7
0.9
1
3.6
4
0
4
The first few months of his Ibrox career were a struggle as he took a while to adapt to the physical nature of Scottish football, but he found his feet during the club’s stunning run to the 2022 Europa League final.
Garnering “cult hero” praise from Ibrox legend Ally McCoist ahead of the final against Eintracht Frankfurt, Lundstram had proven the doubters wrong.
A difficult 2022/23 campaign in which the Gers failed to win any trophies while suffering humiliation in the Champions League group stages once again saw Lundstram face his critics, but he has responded well under Clement.
Indeed, across the whole squad, the midfielder currently ranks third for big chances created (four) in the top flight, along with ranking third for accurate passes per game (63.6), second for accurate long balls per game (5.4) and third for tackles per game (1.7), clearly showcasing his strengths across a range of performance metrics this season.
With these statistics, it is a no-brainer for him to be included back in the starting XI. The question is, who will partner him against County?
Tom Lawrence could potentially come back into the heart of the midfield having missed the Ayr clash due to a precaution, while Clement also has the likes of Raskin, Sterling and Diomande to choose from.
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ByDan EmeryFeb 14, 2024
It is not a bad selection headache to have, but the only important thing tonight is securing another three points and piling the pressure on Celtic ahead of the weekend.
Not many supporters felt there could be a title challenge when Michael Beale was sacked a few months ago, but it is testament to the wonderful job Clement has done since taking over at the Glasgow Side.