This was no Christmas Eve cracker but Philippe Clement retained his unbeaten streak to leave Well winless in 15.
Red-hot Rangers overcame a downpour to leave Motherwell under a dark cloud and stay on Celtic’s tail with a decisive 2-0 win at Fir Park.
This was no Christmas Eve cracker but Philippe Clement retained his unbeaten streak to leave Stuart Kettlewell’s sorry side without a win in 15 games. Kieran Dowell and Todd Cantwell added the finishing touches to a pair of well-worked moves inside the opening 20 minutes. Motherwell battled bravely but appear unable to escape the paralysis which sees them winless since September.
Turning problems into solutions is the hallmark of a good team and that desired trait was stamped all over the red-hot start Rangers produced. Wet and wild conditions are often an underdog’s best friends but Clement’s side – who aren’t snooty about going direct – squeezed the life out of their hapless opponents with superior pressing and tidy link-up play. The writing was on the wall before the goals arrived and this Motherwell team are displaying all the warning signs of a lost team. The high-risk passing style lasted exactly four minutes until Dowell capitalised on slapstick defending with Cyriel Dessers instrumental with a neat assist to tee up the former Norwich man. Cantwell was thankful to Sima for his goal.
If Motherwell are sinking into the abyss amid their luckless run then they made one final push to surface with a resilient display at the start of the second half. And they may well have had one back had Leon Balogun not sliced his excellent block into the net rather tha over the bar.
The natives were emboldened by the high-risk strategy deployed by Kettlewell’s side and the brief sloppiness shown by Clement’s side. Brodie Spencer claimed for a penalty but Ridvan Yilmaz was right wave him away. Yilmaz almost provided an assist for Dessers but the offside flag denied the striker. The same man scored again but was once again rightly denied by the match officials.
Clement almost got out of dodge but the late niggle suffered by Connor Goldson is a worry only days before a visit to Celtic Park. But the three points are returning to Govan. Here’s three things we spotted in North Lanarkshire.
Pretty Ugly
The fact the current Rangers side revel in the ugly part of the beautiful game is certainly no negative. There are two absolutes within this current Rangers team which is there for all to see; a clarity of thought due to clear instructions coupled with a willingness to go direct when the situation arises.
But Rangers supporters would rightly reject this is a team of brawn and no beauty as a pair of well-worked goals would attest to. But Clement’s winning culture is there for all to see and the Belgian revels in the joy of victory in whatever way it comes. The man who insisted Rangers were in a marathon must sense flat terrain is nearing for a side who have navigated a brutal schedule with distinction.
Kettle boils over
The Motherwell manager is widely regarded as a top chap but he is facing a mammoth battle to turn around this mess. Kettlwell has been bombarded with some ugly numbers in recent months. The man who once basked in the glow of a seven-month undefeated streak in away Premiership matches is now overseeing a team with no confidence left. If Kettlewell was ashen-faced before the opening goal then he looked like he was straight off the ghost train when Cantwell finished with aplomb.
The crying shame is if this marriage between boss and team ends in divorce then it’s clear the 39-year-old is a man of merit both as a coach and person. But the callous nature of management means separation is inevitable unless something dramatically changes. The game in Aberdeen is big but the visit of Livingston is the type of stomach-churning six-pointer which alters seasons for all involved.
Cyriel drama
The trials and tribulations of Dessers this season have been anything but dull. But the jokes have dissipated and now the Nigeria international appears a bonafide option to be a key contributor during the Clement era. Yes, he passed up some big chances but his hold-up play is improving and the likes of McCausland, Sima and Cantwell thrive when Dessers is haranguing the opposition.
Is the former Cremonese forward the perfect striker? No, that would be a stretch but his merits to this side are there to see even in performances where he can excite and frustrate in equal measure. Even with Celtic’s recent troubles it’s likely gilt-edged chances in Glasgow’s east end will be at a premium in six days’ time and it’s vital Dessers brings a killer touch to go alongside his emerging hold-up play. He appeared permanently offside in his early Ibrox days but was unlucky when his tidy finish was ruled out after being adjudged offside by the tightest of margins following Yilmaz’s slaloming run. it was a similar story seconds before the finish.
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