“I HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS HUMILIATED” DANNY RÖHL SLAMMED RANGERS LEGENDARY PLAYER ACTION AGAINST CELTIC, SAYING HIS CAREER IS OVER
Youssef Chermiti absolutely dreadful, 8/10 star shines in chaos – Rangers player ratings vs Celtic
Rangers eventually lost a dramatic cup tie to old rivals Celtic 3-1 despite fighting back admirably from a goal and a man down.
After Rangers beat Hibs 1-0 in midweek to make it back-to-back league wins under Danny Rohl there looked to be some signs of life for the Light Blues.
Brendan Rodgers’ exit at Celtic handed Rangers a potential opening and the League Cup semi-final was the ideal chance to make Martin O’Neill’s outfit feel uncertain.
The Light Blues made an awful start to the game with Nasser Djiga‘s error in the opening minutes letting the Hoops in, setting the tone for edginess and confusion at the back throughout the first half.
Rangers escaped going behind in chaotic fashion when a VAR offside review disallowed an early Nico Raskin own-goal, which had looped in when Djiga booted it into him amid confusion from a quick Celtic free kick
The reprieve lasted less than 10 minutes before Johnny Kenny nodded home virtually unchallenged at a corner, and Thelo Aasgaard‘s red card on 38 minutes made it an uphill battle from there.
Rohl’s players put Celtic under pressure with 10 men after the break to show admirable resolve, and it finally paid off when substitute Djeidi Gassama‘s good work resulted in a shot blocked by a diving Anthony Ralston’s elbow, James Tavernier converting from the spot.
The Light Blues, after playing so long with a man less, couldn’t keep up the fight into extra time and after Callum McGregor’s strike beat Jack Butland, Callum Osmond added a third.
Youssef Chermiti horrendously wasteful
Youssef Chermiti finally scored his first for Rangers in the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock but his heavy price tag of up to £10 million and his Everton links with Kevin Thelwell have put him under the microscope.
He was afforded a pair of huge first-half opportunities to change the tune on his Gers career in the most important of ties against the cross-city rivals and squandered them badly.
Sandwiched between Raskin’s disallowed own-goal and Kenny’s opener Chermiti was found in a wonderful position bearing down on Kasper Schmeichel’s goal with a chance to take the lead but he put his shot wide.
After going behind he was again found unmarked at the back post as a deep cross was swung in from a free kick, but once again he failed to find the target as he nodded wide.
He never again came close to affecting the scoreline and was withdrawn as Rohl chased an equaliser. For all Cyriel Dessers was criticised at Rangers he did at least score goals, and Chermiti isn’t even doing that to make up for the misses.
Butland may have started the game as part of the alarming group panic at the back, firing straight out of play under no pressure as the defensive unit repeatedly invited pressure onto themselves.
But he certainly rebounded from that shakiness to keep Rangers in the game long enough to finally make their post-interval pressure pay.
A number of crucial saves in the latter stages of the first half were followed by at least two even more important ones in the second period.
Benjamin Nygren’s header just after the hour could easily have made things safe for Celtic but Butland showed incredible reflexes to get down and keep it out.
Typically in recent years even Rangers’ best comes with a maddening weakness, and so it was here as Callum McGregor’s goal early in extra time should surely have been kept out, only for Butland to dive slightly past the line of the shot and divert it high into his own net.
And yet, there the Englishman was again just moments later, back to his best and keeping Osmand’s header out at full stretch, before stopping him again not long after.
Gassama and Mikey Moore were both impressive off the bench but it was Butland, despite his flaws, who stood out for Rohl’s side.
Rangers player ratings vs Celtic
Jack Butland – 8
Jayden Meghoma (off for Aarons ’90+3) – 6
Derek Cornelius – 5
John Souttar – 5
Nasser Djiga (off for Rothwell ‘102) – 2
James Tavernier – 6
Nico Raskin (off for Antman ’91) – 5
Mohamed Diomande (off for Moore ’71) – 6
Theo Aasgaard – 3
Danilo (off for Gassama ’46) – 6
Youssef Chermiti (off for Miovski ’71) – 1
Substitutes
Djeidi Gassama – 7
Bojan Miovski – 5
Mikey Moore – 7
Max Aarons – 6
Oliver Antman – 5
Joe Rothwell – 4
