After a tough night against Lyon in the Europa League, Rangers were desperate to bounce back, and boy, did Vaclav Cerny deliver! His brace powered the Gers to a 2-0 victory over St. Johnstone in a Scottish Premiership clash that felt like a must-win after recent European disappointments. The Czech winger was much improved from recent performances, offering the perfect response after missing a key chance midweek.
The Start of Cerny’s Redemption Story
For anyone who watched Cerny struggle to make a mark against Lyon, this performance was night and day to that. It was like watching a different player! His first goal was pure class—a slick nutmeg followed by a lethal curling finish that had the Ibrox faithful on their feet. His second? Just as good, calmly driving the ball into the bottom corner to seal the game. Two goals, countless moments of brilliance, and an electric 72 minutes on the pitch. Cerny is showing why he’s could be the man for the big moments at Ibrox. He just needs to continue to build on this success as the season progresses.
Cerny’s transformation from frustration to match hero makes his brace all the sweeter. He’s got potential to become a key player under Philippe Clement, and this could be the start of that journey. As the player said himself, he needs to focus on the football.
Tactical Tweak on the Right
A lot of fans have been clamoring for James Tavernier to shift into a more advanced role, and we finally got a glimpse of that in this game. When Cerny came off, Tavernier moved higher up the pitch, with Kasanwirjo (aka “Nana”) dropping in at right-back. It’s a position many have wanted to see Tavernier in for ages, and it seems like Clement might be the man to try this experiment.
Nana looked solid at right-back, and Tavernier—freed from his defensive duties—was able to play the game further up the pitch. It’s a change that could find a way of keeping Tavernier in the team, which the manager seems to be set on. Could this be the way forward for the captain as Rangers look to phase him out of the backline into an area we are short of options in?
A Win, But Work to Do
Despite the victory, there’s no ignoring the fact that this performance wasn’t as high-energy or intense as we’d like to see. The manager even mentioned the dip in intensity, and it was clear the team took their foot off the gas after the second goal. While the win is crucial heading into the international break, the Gers still have a long way to go to get to the level fans expect.
Seeing Hagi getting game time was great to see. Not only does he offer an additional option to the manager, but it signals the end of an ugly contract dispute between the player and club which reflected very poorly on Rangers. His assist for Cerny’s 2nd goal showed that the player can find a cutting forward pass, something we have lacked.
Ianis Hagi’s red card in the final moments could have complicated things, but fortunately, St. Johnstone couldn’t take advantage. Still, playing a man down isn’t ideal, and Rangers will need to clean up those kinds of mistakes if they want to push on.
The Road Ahead
With four straight domestic wins, Rangers are in decent shape, but everyone knows there’s more work to be done. The tactical flexibility Clement is starting to show—particularly with the Tavernier-Nana switch—offers hope that this team can evolve and improve. But it’s clear that higher intensity and sharper play will be needed in the games ahead.
We’ll take the three points, celebrate Cerny’s heroics, and look forward to what’s next after the international break. Keep an eye on the right side of the pitch—something tells me we haven’t seen the last of Tavernier in an advanced role!
We watched this match while visiting the Big Apple Bears Rangers Supporters Club. Read more about the experience while visiting this supporters club.