Clinton Nsiala Questions Philippe Clement’s Decisions at Rangers
Clinton Nsiala has become the latest Rangers player to cast doubt on Philippe Clement’s managerial credibility at Ibrox.
Following their Scottish Cup defeat to Queen’s Park, Rangers bounced back with a 3-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday (February). The win was secured thanks to two own goals from Jamie McCart and a strike from Vaclav Cerny.
Despite the victory, some pundits, including Chris Sutton, questioned whether Rangers truly deserved all three points. However, credit must go to Jack Butland, whose standout performance was key to the win. Nsiala, though, was not far behind.
Nsiala Impresses Against Hearts
Partnering John Souttar in central defense, Nsiala was a dominant force, registering 16 clearances, two recoveries, and winning his only attempted tackle [FotMob]. Eight of those clearances were headers.
He led the game with 18 defensive actions—six more than Souttar, the next closest player. The 21-year-old also won four of his seven ground duels (57%) and three of five aerial battles (60%).
In possession, Nsiala had 60 touches, completing 29 of his 35 passes (83%), including four accurate long balls. He also succeeded in two of his three dribbles (67%).
Clement’s Decision-Making Under Scrutiny
Nsiala’s recent performances raise questions about why he was overlooked for most of the season. Despite joining from AC Milan in the summer, he did not make a matchday squad until the 3-3 draw against Hibernian on January 5.
This is puzzling, considering Souttar and Robin Propper struggled for form in the first half of the campaign. Clement even resorted to using James Tavernier and Neraysho Kasanwirjo at center-back rather than giving Nsiala a chance.
The Belgian manager has made similar selection errors before. He persisted with Tavernier despite a string of poor performances, even though Kasanwirjo and Dujon Sterling were available. Likewise, Clement stuck with Cyriel Dessers for too long, delaying opportunities for Hamza Igamane.
Although he eventually brought players like Igamane into the fold, Clement’s reluctance to make timely changes has been a recurring issue. If these decisions continue to backfire, they could ultimately cost him his job at Rangers.
