Glasgow Rangers will be aiming to return to winning ways as they welcome Aris Limassol to Ibrox for their Europa League clash this evening.
With a 1-1 draw against Aberdeen on the weekend derailing some momentum gathered under Philippe Clement, the key thing was no further ground was lost in the Premiership title race.
The Gers currently occupy second place in the group behind Real Betis, but a win over the Cypriot side will ensure qualification for the knockout stages.
It will be the fourth time in the previous six seasons that the Light Blues will play European football after Christmas if they do secure all three points, and they could repeat their heroics from 2022, where they reached the Europa League final.
Clement will be taking it one match at a time and not getting too far ahead despite the good form the club are showing of late.
With the fixtures set to come thick and fast over the next few weeks, keeping his starting XI fresh will be a key priority for the Belgian and this could mean there will be a few changes to the starting XI this evening.
While the Light Blues were the dominant team against the Dons on the weekend, they simply couldn’t take their chances and this will need to be fixed ahead of some tough games.
Rangers star who hasn't played all month could feature vs Aris
Rangers face a crucial tie against Aris Limassol on Thursday evening
ByRoss Kilvington
With this in mind, could Clement move Todd Cantwell from a wide right position to a more advanced central role?
Todd Cantwell’s game against Aberdeen in numbers
The Englishman looked keen enough against the Dons as he saw the ball often and managed to complete five key passes and succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts, which are solid statistics, yet his effectiveness in front of goal deteriorates when he is played out wide.
Cantwell failed to take a single shot at the weekend while also losing possession on 12 occasions, and while his versatility is a key strength, it is time Clement stuck him in one position and let him cause chaos.
When he joined the Gers from Norwich City in January, Cantwell ended up scoring four goals and grabbing four assists from an attacking midfield slot, scoring only twice from a wide position, suggesting that playing behind the striker is where he is at his best with regard to scoring and creating chances.
Todd Cantwell’s season in numbers
The 25-year-old hasn’t quite hit the ground running in the 2023/24 campaign, managing to find the back of the net just once across all competitions.
He hasn’t been helped by missing five games after suffering a knee injury during the 1-0 defeat to Celtic back in September and this has disrupted his progress.
The midfielder currently ranks in a lowly 13th position in the squad for goals and assists in the Premiership (one), while he also ranks eighth for shots on target per game (0.4), fifth for key passes per game (1.3) and eighth for successful dribbles per game (0.8) and these statistics clearly indicate that he hasn’t quite been at his best.
Granted, the former Norwich gem has been forced out onto the wing on numerous occasions during the current campaign, yet under Clement, he has to start showing more.
6
0
4
1
5
0
1.3
1.3
1.5
0.8
The likes of Tom Lawrence and Sam Lammers are queuing up to slot into that attacking midfield role if Cantwell fails to produce solid displays in the near future and the tie against Aris gives him a perfect opportunity to get some confidence back into his game.
Cantwell being relocated would leave a spot open on the right wing and the Belgian must continue to utilise the talents of Ross McCausland, who has been a breath of fresh air over the previous few weeks.
Ross McCausland’s season in numbers
The former Club Brugge manager has managed to tie down the young winger to a long-term deal at Ibrox and this could be the finest piece of business that the Belgian does in the coming weeks.
The Northern Irishman has already made eight appearances for the senior side this term, and while he has yet to open his account or grab an assist, his pace and ability on the ball has been a joy to behold.
He was given his first start by Clement against Livingston prior to the international break, and he looked extremely lively out wide. The 20-year-old won a penalty during the first half and even had the ball in the back of the net, but it was disallowed.
He doesn’t seem to be fazed at pulling on a Rangers jersey and this lack of fear could stand him in good stead.
Against Sparta Prague just a few weeks ago, the youngster came off the bench and made a wonderful impact. Not only did he succeed with 100% of his dribbles, but he also managed two shots during his 21-minute cameo, along with making one key pass and losing possession just once.
In these types of matches it is tough to emerge from the bench with little time left and create some chances, but that is exactly what the winger did and his performance drew praise from journalist Josh Bunting, who said:
“Ross McCausland has been excellent since coming on, he’s been positive. For such a young player his vision and eye for a pass is of superb quality. Honestly don’t think he’s long away from a start, brings a new dimension and spark into this Rangers side.”
The 6 foot dynamo clearly has the required attributes to succeed at the Light Blues and his displays in the first team this season should only give him further confidence that he can continue to make inroads to becoming a regular in the starting XI.
With Cantwell moving to the middle, a space opens up for the Northern Irishman on the right wing and with a win against Aris securing progress to the knockout stages and European football after Christmas, there isn’t a better game to be involved in.
With a new contract signed and the chance to stake his claim under Clement, McCausland is living the dream.