Glasgow Rangers made it through to the League Cup final for the third season in a row, although the Ibrox side didn’t do it the easy way.
The Light Blues went into the interval trailing by an Andy Halliday goal to Motherwell, and it was clear Philippe Clement had to make changes.
The likes of Mohamed Diomande and Danilo made all the difference during the second half as the club turned the tie around, with Nedim Bajrami netting with ten minutes to go, which sealed a 2-1 win.
Although the victory offers some respite from the poor results over the previous few weeks, Clement is still a man under pressure.
Why Philippe Clement’s job isn’t safe
This season has been disappointing so far. Not only did the Gers fail to qualify for the Champions League group stages, but they also trail both Celtic and Aberdeen in the Premiership title race by nine points after just ten matches.
Combine these results with the dismal performances on the field, and it is clear that resentment has set in among large sections of the Ibrox support.
The 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen last week appeared to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, with the team looking both lethargic and short of ideas against a well-coached Dons side.
13/08/2024
Dynamo Kiev
2-0
01/09/2024
Celtic
3-0
03/10/2024
Lyon
4-1
20/10/2024
Kilmarnock
1-0
30/10/2024
Aberdeen
2-1
Unless something drastic happens between now and Christmas, Clement will surely be shown his marching orders. The question is, who can the Light Blues turn to as a potential replacement?
An ideal replacement for Clement
The rumour mill is already circling surrounding Clement’s future, with a few replacements being touted.
One name to have been touted with the Ibrox hotseat is Malmo coach Henrik Rydstrom, who coincidentally has faced the Gers this season in the Europa League.
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The Swedish side may have looked poor during the 2-0 loss to Rangers, but praise has been high for the manager, with Sky Sports journalist Adam Bate waxing lyrical about the 48-year-old:
“Malmö coach Henrik Rydstrom is one of the most tactically innovative coaches in Europe, rejecting the game that he was taught in preference for a different way of doing things.”
Rydstrom has led Malmo to another league title this season, which means the club have now won four of the previous five Swedish titles. How has he done that? Well, his enterprising 4-2-3-1 formation that’s seen him boast a 2.08 points-per-game record in the Allsvenskan has gone down a treat.
The Swede’s penchant for attacking play could certainly appeal to the Ibrox faithful, who are growing sick and tired of Clement’s team and their laborious nature.
As per Breaking the Lines, one of the most innovative aspects of Rydstrom’s Malmo side are the Brazilian concepts integrated into the team’s playing style with one-twos and short passing triangles/diamonds used to move the ball around quickly and with purpose.
Rydstrom looks to be at the peak of his powers. Might he fancy a new challenge away from Sweden in the near future? Aberdeen have enjoyed plenty of success this season under Jimmy Thelin, who recently managed Elfsborg so there is a pre-made recipe for success there.
Could the 48-year-old have a similar sort of impact if he moved across the North Sea and took charge of the Light Blues?
The next few weeks will be the most important in Clement’s managerial career. Another couple of defeats, and he will be on his way out the door, that’s for sure.
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