GERRARD’S MEN CAN BUILD ON EARLY LYON PRIDE
Ibrox side show signs of promise against makeshift Ligue 1 opposition in France
THE Lyon team that will take to the field in Turin for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Juventus next month will bear little resemblance to the one that started against Rangers on Thursday night.
For a start, Moussa Dembele and Jason Denayer, the former Celtic striker and centre-half, should both be in Rudi Garcia’s line-up at kick-off in the Allianz Stadium.
So it would be wrong to read too much into the 2-0 win that Steven Gerrard’s men recorded in their opening Veolia Tournament game in the Groupama Stadium in France. Garcia left key men out for the pre-season friendly and made a raft of changes.
That said, there was still a great deal for Gerrard to be encouraged by in AuvergneRhone-Alpes. Playing quality opposition on foreign soil was, regardless of the notable absentees from the hosts’ starting line-up, a difficult task after four months without any competitive football due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Yet, Rangers recovered well from a nervous start, took control of proceedings, scored two good goals and could have won by a greater margin. Both Ross McCrorie and Jordan Jones, who came on in the second-half, passed up giltedged opportunities to net during their time on the park.
The Ibrox club also kept a clean sheet. Jon McLaughlin, the Scotland keeper who joined on a free transfer last month, was tested several times on his debut. He acquitted himself well throughout the 90 minutes and will take confidence from his individual display.
As will George Edmundson. The Englishman played at centre-half alongside Connor Goldson in the absence of the injured Nikola Katic and, a couple of shaky moments aside, dealt with the threat posed by Karl Toko Akambi, Rayan Cherki, Dembele, who came on in the closing stages, and Memphis Depay admirably.
Gerrard will, too, have been satisfied by the showings of two of his most expensive acquisitions, Ianis Hagi and Ryan Kent, in attack against Lyon. Yes, Kent was foolish to get himself sent off shortly before half-time for lashing out at Brazilian defender Marcelo directly in front of match referee Karim Abed.
The act of petulance could have ruled the winger out of two domestic fixtures next month but the 23-year-old was last night handed a reprieve when officials confirmed they would not report the incident to their Hampden cuounterparts. Kent, who picked up a twogame ban retrospectively for shoving Scott Brown in an Old Firm game against Celtic at Parkhead last year, has to show far greater maturity in future.
But prior to his moment of madness the former Liverpool kid, whose form fluctuated after he moved to Glasgow in a £7m transfer last summer, was sharp and direct. He set up the opening goal when he linked with James Tavernier at a short corner, accelerated past Cherki and squared in to the six-yard box.
Hagi held his hand in the air and claimed the strike when the ball was bundled over the line from close range even though it was later given as a Marcelo own goal – but all good forwards do that.
And the Romanian did well to fire a first-time volley beyond his countryman Ciprian Tatarusanu shortly after the opener following good work by Joe Aribo and Borna Barisic out wide.
The £3m summer signing was replaced by Scott Arfield in the second half, but his contribution during the opening 45 minutes strongly suggested he is ready to pick up in the 2020/21 campaign where he left off last term.
“I thought it was a good test for the boys and I felt that for the majority of the game we dealt with it really well,” said
Tavernier in an interview with Rangers TV after the final whistle. “We got ourselves in front, scored two good goals and we could have scored more goals. But everyone that came on and started the game, they were terrific throughout the pitch. All the young boys who came on did a job for the team and the gaffer was really pleased with the performance.”
He continued: “It almost reminded me a bit of Ufa [the Europa League play-off match in 2018], how we had to defend with less people on the pitch. But we have worked on that, not just in pre-season, but last season, on our defensive organisation. These big games that we come across, the team is really tightly knit and it is hard to score against us. I thought everyone did a great job. For Jon’s first game, he did a terrific job in the goal.”
Gerrard gave game time to Calvin Bassey, Lewis Mayo, Ross McCrorie and Nathan Patterson. That is no guarantee they will be involved when domestic and continental competition get underway next month. But Tavernier was certainly impressed with how the youthful trio performed against a top class team.
“You want the boys to learn off us all, learn off the coaches and make a claim for themselves,” he said. “It is their career. They have got everything in their hands to be very good players.
“I am delighted for the way they have conducted themselves in this game – Nathan, Calvin and Rossco. Ross has been on loan and he has got his experience. I thought Mayo was actually terrific, he looked solid at the back there. I am really happy with them.”
Steven Gerrard will be pleased with his charges, who take on Nice in Lyon this evening, too after a positive workout.
The act of petulance could have ruled the winger out