Dessers sparks rout of County

Only 2.9 miles separate Hampden from Celtic Park but next weekend will underline to Rangers that Glasgow’s two other stadiums haul them into entirely separate worlds. They are perfectly well aware of that already, of course.
They know that shredding a desperately weak Ross County in the national stadium was all very nice for their morale, and especially for their spread of goalscorers in their biggest win since routing Hamilton 8-0 almost four years ago. But it amounted to putting a sickly kitten out of its misery compared to the bearpit they will face in the season’s first Old Firm game on Sunday. They’ll have 60,000 fans baying for blood there and their track record of coping with that is pretty bleak.
For now they are top of the league — albeit likely to be overtaken by Celtic on Sunday afternoon — and they head into battle with a centre forward on fine scoring form. Rivals dismiss Cyriel Dessers and no striker has his limitations so publicly dissected, excessively so, but his numbers keep on creeping up. Two goals against County took him to five in six games so far, as many as the rest of the Rangers squad combined, to go with his 22 last season. As he took him off in the second half Philippe Clement pulled him into a tight embrace, talking into his ear at length and ruffling his hair. The fans gave him an ovation.
“It’s a pity we didn’t meet each other when he was younger,” Clement said. “Because he’s still somebody who can make a big evolution although he’s 29. He’s now understanding more and more what to do in that role in the football we want to play. And he’s getting more and more important in that way. Not only by scoring goals but also in a lot of other things that people maybe don’t see.” What he had said into his ear was an explanation that he was being taken off so that Danilo could get some minutes. “That’s also the strong point of Cyril. He’s a team player. You have a lot of strikers who are only busy with themselves and scoring their goals. But he’s somebody who generally loves the other players.”
MLS club Atlanta made a bid for Dessers but did not match Rangers’ valuation. Clement expected a “busy” week before the transfer window closes on Friday night and his other double goalscorer against County, Rabbi Matondo, has been expected to move to Leeds United. If this was Matondo’s send-off it was satisfying. The same might be said of Rangers overall given that the club is desperate to complete its infamous construction work at Ibrox and end this loveless rental at Hampden.
Clement was bullish about the next trip to Glasgow’s other arena, Celtic Park. “We’re going to prepare in the ultimate best way to be competitive in that game and to go full for the three points, not to sit and to park the bus in front of goal and to hope that something falls out of the sky.” Why so upbeat, given he has no wins from four derbies so far? “Because we were really close last season. We were really close at Ibrox. We were really close in the cup final.”
Rangers do not look ready for Celtic. Not now, and maybe not at all in the coming months. They will need to be tidier with the ball and more clinical next weekend. Still, at least confidence grew as they ran the goals in against County. Jefté carried the ball from left-back into the middle, running through County before giving it to Tom Lawrence to continue. When he released the ball for Dessers the angle invited a firm low finish across Ross Laidlaw for the opener. Even when they win by six Rangers’ chance conversion rate is never as good as it should be. Dessers teed up Lawrence and then Matondo, who grazed the bar. Laidlaw saved a John Souttar header.
Leon Balogun came off the pitch and disappeared up the tunnel holding his neck, a worry for the Celtic game. Clement was confident he will be fine for next weekend. Mohamed Diomandé came on for him and had been on for fewer than 10 seconds when he was involved in Rangers’ second, passing for James Tavernier to cross to the near post where Matondo reacted quickest to finish.
This was still an easier defeat for County to rationalise than their last one, that shocker against The Spartans in the Premier Sports Cup a week ago. They lacked the quality to build play when they broke up Rangers’ moves and their defending became more and more ragged, but summer signing Ronan Hale did give them presence and menace up front. Only Jack Butland’s superb diving save prevented Hale’s confident finish from finding the top corner in the game’s first chance. Hale later released Aidan Denholm to draw another fine save from Butland.
Rangers had far more control and pressure after half-time. County crumbled, failing to prevent Matondo from flashing a low ball across the goalmouth for Dessers’ easy finish. Lawrence showed good balance and skill to work the fourth goal in off the post, then Matondo diverted home Vaclav Cerny’s fizzed cross for 5-0. Laidlaw saved brilliantly from Danilo but was soon beaten by him for the sixth. Because of his lengthy injury lay-off that was his first goal since November. It was timely, with the Old Firm looming, Rangers will put their trust in Dessers.
Rangers (4-2-3-1): J Butland 8 — J Tavernier 5, J Souttar 6, L Balogun 5 (M Diamondé 45min), Jefté 7 — D Sterling 6, C Barron 6 — V Cerny 6 (R McCausland 75), T Lawrence 7 (K Dowell 66), R Matondo 7 (R Fraser 75) — C Dessers 8 (Danilo 66). Booked Jefté.
Ross County (4-3-3): R Laidlaw 6 — M Efete 4 (A Samuel 62), A Wright 4, W Nightingale 4, G Harmon 5 (J Reid 81) — C Randall 4, V Loturi (S Allardice 63), A Denholm 4 (N Chilvers 62) — J Grieves 4 (J Brown 46), J White 6 (J Nisbet 70), R Hale 7. Booked Wright, Harmon.
Referee R Hardle. Attendance 48,832.
Who was the standout performer?
There is always a Cyriel Dessers moment when he takes a heavy touch or takes too long to get a shot away and the supporters groan, and there was one of those against County. But his faults are emphasised more than any other player in the country, and his strengths downplayed.
He took his first finish well, showed a striker’s instincts at his second, and played in Tom Lawrence who missed the sort of chance Dessers himself would have very likely buried. He led the line well for Rangers and left to a fans’ ovation. A nod to goalkeepers Jack Butland and Ross Laidlaw too. Both made really impressive saves.
What moment got me out of my seat?
Ronan Hale looked to have given County a shock early lead with a great shot to the top corner but Butland matched it by flinging himself to make a fabulous save.
What is the key takeaway from this match?
Philippe Clement was sensible enough to recognise that thrashing County meant next to nothing in terms of Sunday’s Old Firm game at Celtic Park. Helpful for confidence, sure, and a sort of revenge after County torpedoed their title challenge in April, but he stressed his team is a work in progress and will not reach its peak until October and November.
That sounded like a shrewd idea to plant ahead of a derby they are expected to lose.