Philippe Clement does not want his Rangers team to dwell on their loss to Aris Limassol as they prepare for the rematch at Ibrox on Thursday.
Michael Beale had barely left the Light Blues when Rangers were rocked by a 2-1 Europa League defeat in Cyprus, led by club legend Steven Davis.
Davis took command of the succeeding 3-0 victory at St Mirren before Clement arrived from Belgium, and he has gone unbeaten with six victories and two draws since then.
Rangers are second in Group C, two points behind Real Betis, whom they play in Spain in the final game next month, and a win against Aris would assure European action in the new year, and Clement is only looking forward.
“I don’t want them to think about the last game because it can always create some negativity in your heads,” the Belgian remarked, noting that he will be missing defenders Leon Balogun and Ridvan Yilmaz.
They are not in the European squad, and center-back Connor Goldson is suspended, along with injured midfielders Nico Raskin and Ryan Jack, while winger Scott Wright is a doubt owing to illness and a muscle condition.
“In a lot of moments we have been really good,” Clements said.
“In Aberdeen on Sunday, the initial 15 minutes weren’t up to par, resulting in a 1-1 draw. However, we held a constructive meeting to analyze both the shortcomings and successes of the subsequent 75 minutes, offering valuable lessons for the entire team.
Facing Aris poses a formidable challenge due to their tenacity. They launch attacks with numerous players, boast considerable speed, and feature individuals capable of single-handedly influencing the outcome.
Their style is less predictable compared to other teams, emphasizing individual prowess over collective strategy. Hence, our approach needs to be organized and strategic.
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Additionally, Clement addressed the potential introduction of sin bins and the broader use of VAR in the game.”
Temporary player dismissals for actions like dissent and specific tactical fouls gained approval from the International Football Association Board during its recent annual business meeting.
There were also discussions within IFAB about potentially expanding VAR’s scope to include the verification of free-kicks, reviewing second yellow cards leading to red cards, and assessing corner situations. However, football’s governing bodies emphasize that no VAR adjustments will be made if they result in increased match delays.
Philippe Clement, while expressing his support for VAR, holds reservations about its extended powers and the introduction of sin bins. He opines that the use of sin bins could turn football into a “circus,” with players constantly in and out during the game.
“Some people are already protesting against VAR because it stops the game and the referee needs to go off and on but it makes the game more honest.
“You need to see the negatives things are for me, less than the positive things in that way, that you get more honest results so I am positive about that.
“But if the players need to go off for two minutes, five minutes or whatever, because of a yellow card, what is the moment to come on?
“It is already difficult at the moment if you have an injured player and he is on the sideline, it is sometimes difficult to get them in and you have a big discussion with the referees, where is the ball and what is the danger and whatever.
“So I think it would create more fuss than necessary. I don’t think it is good to stop the game more than it is now.
“It is necessary to be really good in the important decisions. If we stop the game all the time we don’t get fluid football and it destroys the game.”\
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