BY SAM CONDY
Rangers bulldozed Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce 3-1 in Istanbul on Thursday night with the heroics of Cyril Dessers once again splitting opinion on his ability as a top-class striker.
The Nigerian fluctuates between lethal and lethargic from game to game. The erratic nature of his performances has left supporters exasperated and elated in equal measure.
A twenty-two goal haul this season could easily be double that on chances created for the number nine.
One wonders where Rangers might be domestically if he had his shooting boots on regularly.
One minute he looks like a McCoist, the next he is Peter van Vossen!
Against Fenerbahce, Dessers’ striking prowess and creativity was on full display.
The pass for Cerny’s first goal was sublime.
The offside goals and his poacher’s strike to give Rangers the lead in this European tie is all the evidence you need that there is a quality finisher at Ibrox, who maybe just needs more love and backing.
If the jury is still out from the stands, in the dugout he has admirers.
Fenerbahce’s coach, Jose Mourinho was full of praise for Dessers’ finishing.
He said: “Dessers is a good player. But today he looked like the best player in the world.”
Rangers boss Barry Ferguson feels that Dessers is moving in the right direction, but still has more to work on.
“I thought tonight at times, he’s showed that he can be a real quality striker.
“He knows he needs to work on some things, but one thing about him is he’s one of the guys after training who will stay behind and work on some weaknesses that we see, or maybe he sees in his game.
“But again, I thought he led the line superbly tonight and I was absolutely delighted for him”
In a post-match interview, Cyriel Dessers reflected on his two disallowed goals.
“With the first one, I was just looking at Nico [Raskin] when he was shooting. I wasn’t really aware of any flag.
“With the second one, I was hoping to get the ball just a tiny bit earlier. Jefte played it perfectly. It’s a pity it was disallowed.”
You can’t rule out Dessers missing a few sitters in the return leg next week, but if he can replicate his performance in Istanbul in Glasgow next Thursday, Rangers will be heading into the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Maybe then public opinion will sway in his favour.
