Rangers’ victory over Malmo required a strong showing, and Philippe Clement will be pleased with his team’s work.
Because he played for only nine minutes before the management pushed him in at the deep end in Sweden, one guy in particular deserves special recognition.
After being added to the team after the transfer deadline, Neraysho Kasanwirjo gave Rangers supporters reason to celebrate as he made his debut, earning an 8 out of 10 player rating.
Neraysho Kasanwirjo leaves a lasting impression on the Rangers
This Netherlands Under-21 international, on loan from Feyenoord with a buyout option, is known for being a fierce defender who puts in a lot of work.
It demonstrates how successful Malmo was at neutralising the threat posed by the opposition that none of the possibilities he generated came back to haunt the 22-year-old.
According to Sofascore, Kasanwirjo lost possession just six times compared to James Tavernier’s fifteen at right-back, with an 89% pass completion percentage against the captain’s 67%.
To refresh your memory, Kasanwirjo was on the “weaker” side.
When he only needed to choose his location to convert a late opportunity with an xG (expected goal) rating of 0.28, the six-foot-tall utility defender did not cover himself in glory.
With the score at 2-0 and the excitement of maybe opening his Rangers account, he can be pardoned this time.
The speed with which Kasanwirjo was able to recognise dangers and eliminate them at their source was astonishing.
Not once did Jens Stryger Larsson manage to go past Kasanwirjo; nearly every time he received the ball, he had to turn around.
The Gers backup left-back would assist in midfield and increase pressure on Malmo players in possession when he had no one to mark.
Nana, as he is fondly called, looked assured and confident as he drove forward into space and played one-touch football as Rangers were playing out of the back.
Once more, this was during his debut and not one of his better moments.
Clement may need to make a choice at right back.
After the match, Neraysho Kasanwirjo expressed his satisfaction with his contribution to Rangers TV.
“It was encouraging to join the team because it showed that everyone was working together.
“I was told by the manager to play my game, and the team would support me,” The coach told me that it was all about doing my thing and not becoming scared.
“Robin [Propper] is someone I already know from the Dutch tournament. I was also supported by Tav, Soapy (John Souttar), and the midfield players. Joining the team was a smart move, and everyone works well together. We all support one another.
“Not just defenders excelled at keeping a clean sheet. The attackers did their job and scored, and we were left with a clean sheet.
“It’s crucial for the team as a whole because we usually win the game if we maintain a clean sheet.”
Given Tavernier’s struggles on the other end, both in terms of possession and positioning, Philippe Clement may soon need to make a choice.
Teams are beginning to take aim at the captain because they are aware that he is out of form and has lost ground, both psychologically and physically.
He is giving up balls that he could handle much too often and second-guessing himself, which makes the right side of defence nervous.
He may have had some questions for John Souttar and Mohamed Diomande, though.
As opposed to Kasanwirjo, who deflected Malmo’s attempts at answering and kept the ball out of his hands.
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