It might have been Albert Einstein who said something about the definition of madness or insanity being to perform the same action over and over again, but expecting different results, just as Rangers are with Djeidi Gassama.
The 23-year-old winger arrived from Sheffield Wednesday in a cut-price £2 million deal last summer, with Owls fans feeling that Danny Rohl had taken advantage of a loophole that saw them robbed of a £10 million transfer windfall.
Rangers looked to have pulled a blinder when Gassama hit the ground running in the Europa League qualifiers, only to become the latest in a long line of frustrating wide men.
Time for Rangers to Drop Djeidi Gassama
The Mauritania international has been around professional football for some time and is approaching 200 senior appearances. By now, he should have ironed out the creases that he left Paris Saint-Germain’s academy with as a player with high expectations.
His consistency and availability are to be applauded; his end product isn’t. Gassama featured in every league game for Rangers last term and has done so again this term – 47 in total.
What frustrates, much like Ryan Kent, isn’t his work rate, attitude, durability, ball carrying, or ability to create space for teammates; it is his goal return. He has one goal in 14 games this season in total, none in the league, to add to his three from last year.
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The 10 assists in 70 appearances since he joined is hardly the sort of figure that inspires confidence either. With the same minutes, Scott Wright, Ross McCausland and Rabbi Matondo could all have produced something similar.
With Kim Minsu and Badredine Bouanani both proficient dribblers and attacking options, Rangers no longer need to rely on Gassama being the only outlet to progress the play up the park, and it is time for Derek McInnes to give someone else a chance.
What Has McInnes Said About Gassama?
There is a feeling that every game is going to be the one. But it doesn’t come. Against Dundee, Bouanani did his job on the other flank and was Rangers’ most dangerous player, and yet it was Gassama who played the full 90 minutes. Every shot that Bouanani hit was placed and put on target; only two world-class saves denied him a hat-trick. Despite his fleeting appearances, he looks like the complete package.
Gassama though, as McInnes himself admitted recently, via The Rangers Review, needs to start adding numbers:
“Particularly in recent weeks he has carried the fight. We’ve built the game well, utilised space and become a very good counter-attacking team, and he’s been a big part of that.
“Gas just needs to improve his numbers. He’s desperate to score more goals, and it’s something he’s aware of. Whether it’s attacking crosses from the opposite side or creating opportunities himself, that’s the one thing he needs to add to his game.
“Because the fitness is there, the intent is there, the power is there, and the confidence is there. It’s just that final piece and, if we can put everything together, hopefully he can continue progressing and become a big player for us this season.”
Daisuke Yokota being injured has reduced McInnes’ options, although Findlay Curtis and Minsu could both play off the left-hand side of the attack if he wanted to make the change.
The Last Word
There is no denying that Gassama has everything needed to be a key player for Rangers if they are to win the Scottish Premiership and other domestic trophies this season.
He can create something from nothing, and he can score goals when little seems on, but as Light Blues fans saw with Kent, carrying a winger that works hard and plays every game means little when they aren’t scoring goals or creating good chances for their teammates when it comes to silverware at the end of the season.
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