Glasgow Rangers manager Derek McInnes has endured an incredibly frustrating start to his tenure at Ibrox, losing two of his first three matches.
The Light Blues lost 2-1 to Hibernian at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, having lost to Jagiellonia Białystok in their Europa League qualifier in midweek.
They also failed to win on the opening day of the league season, drawing 1-1 with Dundee United, which added fuel to the fire within the boos cascading around the ground at full-time against Hibs.
There was a distinct lack of quality at the top end of the pitch for the Scottish giants, and one of the culprits behind that was academy graduate Findlay Curtis.
Why Rangers need an upgrade on Findlay Curtis
It is always nice to see young players progressing through the ranks and making a mark in the first-team, but the Scotland international looks a little short of where the Gers need him to be right now.
The winger scored six goals in 24 matches for Rangers and Kilmarnock combined in the Premiership last season, in what was a breakthrough campaign for him.
However, he currently looks more suited to playing with space on the counter in a team such as Kilmarnock, rather than dealing with the ball in tight spaces under pressure for Rangers.
|
Vs Hibernian |
Findlay Curtis |
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
79 |
|
Touches |
81 |
|
Big chances created |
0 |
|
xA |
0.16 |
|
Shots on target |
0 |
|
Dribble attempts |
1 |
|
Possession lost |
12x |
Curtis started on the left flank and looked unable to influence the game when taking the ball under pressure out wide, with Hibernian sitting in a low block, and he ended the match with no ‘big chances’ created and only one attempted dribble.
The Gers, therefore, should be looking to sign a winger who can influence matches with technical quality in tight space and by making the right decisions on the ball to break down low blocks.
Rangers in talks to sign Findlay Curtis upgrade
Now, the club are looking at a possible move for a player who could arrive at Ibrox as an instant upgrade on the academy graduate, who also played the second half of the loss to Hibs at right-back.
RangersReview journalist Chris Jack claims that Glasgow Rangers are in ongoing talks with PSV over a deal to sign winger Couhaib Driouech this summer.
The 49ers are hoping to strike a deal for the Moroccan forward for a fee in the region of £7m, after already seeing one bid turned down for the forward.
Jack, however, adds that there are other targets in their sights if they are unable to reach an agreement with the Dutch side after this latest round of discussions.
The Light Blues must push to make sure that these negotiations end with Driouech holding up a Rangers scarf because they are, clearly, badly in need of an injection of quality at the top end of the pitch.
His performances for PSV last season show that he has the ability to be effective in a dominant team that is tasked with breaking down low blocks, which is where Curtis struggles.
|
25/26 Champions League |
Driouech |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
7 |
|
Starts |
1 |
|
xG |
1.15 |
|
Goals |
3 |
|
Big chances created |
2 |
|
Assists |
2 |
He also caught the eye in the Champions League, with five goal contributions in seven appearances, which shows that the forward can deliver at the very highest level of club football.
The £7m-rated Gers target scored and grabbed an assist in an impressive 6-2 win over Napoli for the Dutch giants in Europe’s premier competition.
Domestically, Driouech scored six goals and provided six assists in 32 appearances in the league and cup, showing that he can provide a consistent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals when facing teams who are set-up to stop his side.
The left-footed attacker, who is capable of playing on either flank, scored nine goals and provided eight assists in all competitions, scoring more goals and providing more assists than Curtis ever has in a senior campaign.
Curtis has three career assists to his name, to go along with seven goals, and is yet to show that he has the individual quality required to go and break down a team, hence why he struggled against Hibernian on the left flank.
Driouech, however, has proven himself in a title-chasing, and winning, side and would arrive at Ibrox as an instant upgrade on the Scottish youngster, as he is in a completely different league when it comes to quality, given what he has shown in his time at PSV.
That is why the club must go all out to reach an agreement with PSV to bring the Moroccan magician to Ibrox before the end of the transfer window.
