Glasgow Rangers are four points off the top with four games left to play in the Scottish Premiership after their defeat at Ibrox on Saturday.
The 90th-minute goal saw the Gers lose 3-2 at Motherwell in front of their home fans, after coming from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in the second half.
Too many players have dipped below the standards required to compete for the league title and Danny Rohl must be confident with his team's selection going forward.
The Gers take on Hearts, the league leaders, in their league fixture next weekend and the German must make a number of changes to his starting line-up.
One player who should be out of the starting XI and sit on the bench against the Jam Tarts is Brentford loanee Jayden Meghoma, who started at left back against Motherwell.
Why Jayden Meghoma should not start again this season
The England U20 player should not start another game for the Gers this season because Tuur Rommens is expected to return from injury against Hearts.
Defeated by Motherwell, Meghoma finished the game without a win, without a shot on target, and no chances were created for his teammates, as he struggled to get off the ball before being sent off at half-time.
Rommens has given so much to the club since joining from Westerlo in the January transfer window for £3m and he should come in to start the remaining four games, provided he is fit to do so.
|
25/26 Premiership |
Meghoma |
The Romans |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearance |
28 |
6 |
|
Goals |
1 |
1 |
|
Great opportunities have been created |
4 |
4 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.7 |
2.7 |
|
Tackle + encounter per game |
2.1 |
2.8 |
|
Each game is over |
0.2x |
0.2x |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
20% |
71% |
Rommens has been creative and solid defensively in his short spell at the Gers, which is why he was first choice at left-back before his injury.
Meghoma is not the only Rangers player to be dropped from the squad ahead of next weekend's Premiership clash with Hearts.
The Rangers defender should be dropped alongside Jayden Meghoma
Another Rangers defender struggled in the defeat at Motherwell and should be dropped because he is in danger of becoming the new John Souttar at Ibrox.
Souttar has been a substitute in four of the Gers' last five league games, with Nasser Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez dropping him, with Dujon Sterling likely to follow.
The versatile defender was worse than Meghoma against Motherwell, although it was hoped he could start at right-back and switch to left-back in the second half, and should be benched for the game against Hearts.
|
vs Motherwell |
Meghoma |
Sterling |
|---|---|---|
|
Minutes |
45 |
77 |
|
The drop is lost |
0 |
3 |
|
The discovery of the ball |
2 |
1 |
|
He passed |
0x |
1x |
|
Wrong crosses |
2 |
6 |
|
Pass accuracy |
94% |
90% |
Sterling finished the game without a win, despite three attempts, and was outplayed more times than Meghoma, while receiving the ball a few times.
The Brentford loanee was very reliable on the ball, completing a high percentage of his passes and wasting few crossing opportunities, showing that he was better off and on the ball, despite both players not playing well.
Sterling has been an unused substitute in two of his last four matches for the matchday squad and didn't even play against Falkirk because of their artificial pitch.
If Rohl drops him to the bench to be an unused full-back against Hearts, the versatile full-back could join Souttar in being an unused substitute for the remainder of the campaign.
The German coach may opt to go with the leadership and experience of James Tavernier, who will play his final four games as a Rangers player, in a bid to lead the club to their first title since the start of the 2020/21 campaign.
Sterling failed to keep out Motherwell's opener and was subbed off when his man scored the second, which the former Chelsea defender had blocked.
That could now see him sit on the bench for the foreseeable future, as Tavernier returns, and he could end up warming the bench alongside Souttar against Hearts.
Guards begin work to close Tavernier's “Rommens-like” location
Rangers are looking for a new defender to replace James Tavernier this summer.
