Philippe Clement Calls For Greater Ruthlessness From Rangers Following Tense Victory Over Hearts

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Philippe Clement, the manager of Rangers, urged his team to be more decisive following their narrow 1-0 victory against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership. Cyriel Dessers scored early, redirecting James Tavernier's shot past Craig Gordon. Despite the early lead, Rangers struggled to extend their advantage and endured a tense finish, closing the gap to nine points behind Celtic and Aberdeen.

Clement expressed that his players are feeling the strain from a demanding schedule. He emphasised the need for them to capitalise on opportunities. "We made too many wrong choices with the ball and became too sloppy," Clement stated. He acknowledged that it's been a hectic period with extensive travel, reminding that players are human, not machines.

The manager highlighted the importance of scoring a second goal to diminish the opponent's hope. "We missed scoring the second goal and we know that until you get that goal the other team stays in the game, so I want us to kill the belief of the opponent faster," he said. Despite being pleased with securing three points, Clement noted that they didn't maintain quality in the second half.

Rangers will face Dundee United after the international break. Meanwhile, Celtic is set to play against Hearts, and Aberdeen will visit St. Mirren. These matches could further impact standings as teams aim to close gaps or extend leads in the league table.

Clement was content with earning a deserved victory but acknowledged that nerves persisted until the final whistle due to missed chances. "We had a few chances, but it stays nervous until the last second," he remarked. The team's inability to finish off games remains an area for improvement as they continue their campaign.