WILL THE REAL RANGERS PLEASE STAND UP? Clement's side still searching for consistency at home and abroad
Among the many things Philippe Clement will have learned from Rangers’ loss at Aberdeen last midweek would have been a realisation that some things are better left unsaid.
In the aftermath of a hugely damaging defeat, the Belgian’s claim that the performance was among the better ones his team had delivered this season was akin to pouring fuel on a fire.
Yet, while that assertion was not something any fan wanted to hear at such a difficult time, there was actually more than a grain of truth in it.
In 18 matches across all competitions, Rangers have rarely sparkled. The growing suspicion is that they are not a side who are playing way below their level. As unpalatable as it may be for their supporters to accept, their optimal level might just not be as high as it once was.
Clement’s team rarely dominate matches. They rely too heavily on individual moments to get the job done. When the star turns like Vaclav Cerny and Nedim Bajrami don’t produce them, it’s an almighty struggle.
Clement speaks to the media in Greece ahead of clash with Olympiakos
The Rangers squad get a feel for the pitch at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium
Thursday night's opponents Olympiakos won the Conference League last season
Two of this season’s Europa League matches have been exceptions to the rule. In Malmo, Clement’s side scored inside a minute through Bajrami and were never in danger once Ross McCausland climbed off the bench to net a beauty.
At home to Steaua Bucharest, his team scored four times and, truthfully, could have had any number of goals.
The frustration of all concerned comes from the fact that those high points have invariably been followed by another crushing low. The minute this side hint at what they might be capable of, they regress.
Whatever the truth of Rangers’ standing this season, Clement badly needs more of what the supporters were treated to against the Swedes and the Romanians and less of the dross they’ve been served up too often domestically.
While progression to the Premier Sports Cup final at Motherwell’s expense last Sunday eased a little of the pressure on the manager, the first-half display was yet another which didn’t set the pulse racing.
A radical improvement will be required in the port of Piraeus on Thursday evening if Clement’s side are to stand any chance of adding to the six points they’ve already gleaned in the Europa League.
Olympiakos are the current Conference League holders. Still dining out on the fact they became the first Greek side to win a European trophy when they defeated Fiorentina in May, they have added ballast to their squad by signing platers of the ilk of Sergio Oliveira, Kristoffer Velde and Roman Yaremchuk.
Clement will be looking for the same kind of display that saw Rangers hammer FCSB 4-0
A repeat of the performance when Rangers beat Malmo in Sweden would be welcomed by fans
Jose Luis Mendilibar insists his Olympiakos side will put Rangers under pressure
Only three of the side who started the final against the Italians have moved on.
Their manager, Jose Luis Mendilibar, won this competition with Sevilla in 2023 before giving Olympiakos supporters the best night of their lives.
Not only do their followers expect to win on Thursday night, they believe they’ll do so with something to spare. The challenge facing Clement and this inconsistent band of players is hard to understate.
‘We know what they did last season, of course, winning that trophy. It’s a big club,’ said the Rangers manager.
‘They won, really deservedly, against Malmo and Braga. So, it’s a really big test tomorrow. It’s a big game, but we’re looking forward to that and we want to impose ourselves and go for a good result. The other games also. There’s not one game that we’re going to throw away. We want to play against every opponent to get points. Otherwise, it’s of no use to play in this Europa League.
‘This is the mentality we want to see in the squad. Whatever the opponent is, and they can have a lot of stars, we’re going to go and get the points. We have a lot of respect for Olympiakos. So, for us, it’s a really good test for our team.’
Come kick-off time, the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium will be no place for the faint-hearted.
Named after a military commander and a leader in the Greek War of Independence, those who fill this arena do so with a fervour the equal of any in Europe.
Any player who finds the expectation of pulling on the famous red and white jersey too much is not long for these parts.
Aside from facing a team who beat Aston Villa home and away in the Conference League semi-final, Clement’s players will have to deal with an atmosphere as hostile as any they’ve encountered.
‘I’m confident about that,’ added Clement. ‘Okay, we have a few guys who are less experienced, but we also have enough experienced players in the squad. They’re used to playing at Ibrox.
Rangers are guaranteed a hot reception from the Olympiakos fans
Clement has a wander around the pitch before his team face the Greeks
Rangers star Vaclav Cerny is amused by something on his phone before big match
‘That helps also. If you have a team who play in a smaller stadium and come here, it’s different. In Malmo it was also a really good atmosphere. That’s what you want.
‘European nights, there’s always some magic. It’s always something special. Different playing styles, different players that you don’t know really well.
‘And, in that way, for a player, it’s always nice to play in stadiums like this. Big stadiums with a lot of crowd. So, everybody will embrace that and be happy with that.’
The hope for Clement comes in the fact that the Greeks have also had their challenges this season.
With the hangover from their celebrations still lingering, the new players have taken some time to settle.
Currently sitting fourth in the Greek Super League, their Europa League form is similar to Rangers. They also beat Malmo and found Lyon too hot to handle. A 3-0 home win over Braga was the standout result of their season.
The absence of Tom Lawrence for up to six weeks is a matter the Rangers manager could have done without.
Dujon Sterling is likely to see more game time as a result, although Clement doesn’t believe the former Chelsea man is yet capable of playing in every minute of every match.
‘I’m not sure that he’s ready now for 90 minutes in games,’ said the Belgian.
‘He needs to prove that over the next weeks. He’s been struggling for two months with, not a big injury, but something that stopped him from really sprinting.
‘He’s not been his normal self, like he was last season. Because of that, he didn’t have the (fitness) level that he had before. That’s why he played less minutes. Working with the medical staff, we found a solution how to solve it. It’s solved now.’
Lawrence’s absence sounds like the continuation of a weary old story for the manager when it comes to injuries. One that he promised to close the book on after he arrived.
Adamant that the injury situation had improved, however, he said: ‘No, we need to be realistic about that. I don’t think there’s one squad in the world where there are no injuries. That’s a utopia.
‘In periods, yes, but last season we had, in a lot of moments, 12 players out. That’s never been the case this season.’
With the picture improving on that front, Clement has one less factor to cite in mitigation if results on his watch remain wildly inconsistent.
A statement victory in one of Europe’s most intimidating arenas would be quite the way to silence his growing band of critics. For a while, at least.
