Glasgow Rangers are four points off the top of the table with four matches left to play in the Scottish Premiership after their defeat at Ibrox on Saturday.
A 90th minute goal consigned the Gers to a 3-2 loss to Motherwell in front of their own supporters, after they came from 2-0 down to bring it level at 2-2 in the second half.
Far too many players dipped below the standards that are needed to compete for a league title and Danny Rohl must be ruthless with his team selections moving forward.
The Gers play Hearts, the league leaders, in their league game next weekend and the German should make numerous changes to his starting line-up for that game.
One player who must drop out of the starting XI and sit on the bench against the Jam Tarts is Brentford loanee Jayden Meghoma, who started at left-back against Motherwell.
Why Jayden Meghoma must not start again this season
The England U20 international should not start another game for the Gers this season because Tuur Rommens is expected to return from injury against Hearts.
In the loss to Motherwell, Meghoma ended the game with no tackles won, no shots on target, and no chances created for his teammates, as he struggled on and off the ball before being taken off at the break.
Rommens has offered more to the team since he joined from Westerlo in the January transfer window for £3m and should come in to start the remaining four matches, as long as he is fit enough to do so.
|
25/26 Premiership |
Meghoma |
Rommens |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
28 |
6 |
|
Goals |
1 |
1 |
|
Big chances created |
4 |
4 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.7 |
2.7 |
|
Tackles + interceptions per game |
2.1 |
2.8 |
|
Dribbled past per game |
0.2x |
0.2x |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
20% |
71% |
Rommens has been more creative and stronger defensively in his short time at the Gers, hence why he was the first-choice at left-back before his injury.
Meghoma is not the only Rangers player who should be dropped from the team ahead of the clash with Hearts in the Premiership next weekend, though.
Rangers defender should be dropped alongside Jayden Meghoma
Another Rangers defender struggled in the defeat to Motherwell and should be dropped from the side because he is in danger of becoming the new John Souttar at Ibrox.
Souttar has been an unused substitute in four of the last five league matches for the Gers, as Nasser Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez have knocked him down the pecking order, and Dujon Sterling may follow him.
The versatile defender was even worse than Meghoma against Motherwell, despite being trusted to start at right-back and move to left-back for the second half, and should be dropped to the bench for the game against Hearts.
|
Vs Motherwell |
Meghoma |
Sterling |
|---|---|---|
|
Minutes |
45 |
77 |
|
Tackles lost |
0 |
3 |
|
Ball recoveries |
2 |
1 |
|
Dribbled past |
0x |
1x |
|
Inaccurate crosses |
2 |
6 |
|
Pass accuracy |
94% |
90% |
Sterling ended the game without any tackles won, despite attempting three of them, and was dribbled past more times than Meghoma, whilst recovering the ball fewer times.
The Brentford loanee was also more reliable on the ball, completing a higher percentage of his passes and wasting fewer crossing opportunities, which suggests that he was better on and off the ball, despite both players underperforming.
Sterling has been an unused substitute in two of his last four appearances in the matchday squad and did not even make the squad against Falkirk because of their artificial pitch.
If Rohl drops him to the bench to be an unused substitute against Hearts, the versatile full-back may join Souttar in being an unused substitute more often than not during the business end of the campaign.
The German head coach could opt to go with the leadership and experience of James Tavernier, who is entering his final four games as a Rangers player, in an attempt to lead the club to a first title since the 2020/21 campaign.
Sterling failed to stop the cross for the opening goal from Motherwell and was caught out of position as his man scored the second, in what was a dismal defensive display by the former Chelsea full-back.
That could now see him benched for the foreseeable future, with Tavernier coming back in, and he may end up warming the bench alongside Souttar against Hearts.
Rangers begin work on Tavernier replacement who’s “similar to Rommens”
Rangers are eyeing up a new right-back who could come in to replace James Tavernier this summer.
