Glasgow Rangers navigated a potentially tricky away tie at Easter Road against Hibs last night as they secured a routine 3-0 victory that will give Philippe Clement plenty of confidence going forward.
It was the Gers second competitive match since the end of the winter break and while the Edinburgh side were always going to prove a tougher opposition than Dumbarton, a comfortable performance like this was perhaps not anticipated.
Several players turned up and took their chance in the starting XI, with Rabbi Matondo certainly embracing the opportunity to stake a claim for a regular spot on the left wing due to Abdallah Sima’s injury.
Rabbi Matondo's performance in numbers
The winger had started only eight matches this term due to suffering a few injury problems, but he has shown the Ibrox faithful glimpses of his talents when on the pitch.
Against Hibs, he enjoyed plenty of success down the left flank as he succeeded with three out of his four dribble attempts along with creating two big chances and making two key passes as he provided a solid attacking outlet out wide.
The former Schalke starlet took six shots in total during his spell on the pitch and his liveliness will have pleased Clement, and it suggests he could fill in for Sima without the side losing much in an attacking sense.
Matondo faces a big second half of the campaign, but if he continues to put on performances like last night, he will have big future under the Belgian.
Minutes Played
78
Touches
41
Pass Success
14/20 (70%)
Key Passes
2
Long Balls
1/1
Dribble Success
3/4
Duels Won
4/7
Shots on target
2
Another player who shone was Ridvan Yilmaz, and his performance may have just saved his Rangers career.
Ridvan Yilmaz's performance in numbers
The Turkish defender’s future has been discussed plenty of times during the current window, as Galatasaray and Hellas Verona have been linked with a move for the player during the current window.
He put all the transfer talk behind him last night, however, and put on a wonderful display that will give Clement plenty to think about.
The 22-year-old opened the scoring with an excellent strike in the first half, and he also contributed with three key passes, two shots and three accurate crosses during the match, ensuring he was getting forward as often as possible.
Defensively, Yilmaz did lose possession 18 times, yet this was due to him bursting up and down the left wing, and he was not dribbled past once while winning three of his five ground duels and making two clearances.
The performance showcased his effectiveness at both ends of the pitch, and he was awarded a match rating of 8/10 by Glasgow World following the end of the match – there simply cannot be any complaints from the Ibrox faithful regarding his performance against Hibs.
Matondo and Yilmaz were in imperious form down the left flank last night and if this level of performance can carry on to the next few matches, Borna Barisic may have a hard time getting back into the side.
One thing is for sure, Yilmaz must not be sold this month.