Ibrox Noise
·4 October 2024
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Yahoo sportsIbrox Noise
·4 October 2024
Just how much of Rangers’ loss swung on Vaclav Cerny’s tragic open goal miss at 8 minutes?
Rangers had started with some energy, but we must admit there was a palpably less ‘Rangers Thursdays’ feel about this one from kick off, and while the home side had some bright moments before the Czechs miss, it wasn’t exactly a tubthumping home display like past Europa performances at Ibrox.
But then that moment happened.
Cerny misses an open goal from a Tom Lawrence shot, spilled by the stopper, and Lyon swoop up the other end and scored the opener.
Yes, Lawrence himself still equalised within 4 minutes, but the way Lyon cut Rangers open with such ease off the back of Cerny’s miss demonstrated how badly you have to take your chances at this level.
And after they scored their second, it was game over, even if there are arguments raging about the third one being offside.
Cerny’s miss was diabolical, and unfortunately it’s symptomatic of a horrible loss of form from a £10M winger who started so brightly at Rangers – a wonderful assist v Kyiv, a sizzling solo goal v Motherwell then another assist v County made him look like a must-sign.
But that miss in Malmo, that effective open goal miss in Sweden seems to have killed him totally, and he’s been a shadow of that brief top class player we were all buying quickly into.
Watching the boy then sky that open goal in Govan was up there with Alfredo Morelos missing an open goal from one metre against Celtic and somehow finding the post way back when – that boy could not score against Celtic till it barely even mattered any more. His record versus them was humiliating.
And Cerny’s miss last night was likewise.
He was eventually removed for Dujon Sterling but deep into the second half, again, once the damage was done.
We do actually like Cerny, there’s a talented winger in there and we’ve seen that, but his confidence is shot and right now he’s struggling.
Unfortunately we suspect Cerny, as we did mention when Rangers signed him, might suffer with the pressure of Rangers. He struggled in the Bundesliga, and has never shone for a ‘must-win’ team. Just like Sam Lammers – couldn’t cope with a top 5 league, couldn’t cope with a must win team.
We do hope Cerny can turn this around – his CV remains good. But he really does need to catch a break sometime soon.