The phrase ‘world-class’ can be a little overused at times. But Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell obviously felt it was the appropriate description for one key intervention from one of Philippe Clement’s Rangers matchwinners.
And, maybe surprisingly, it was not Vaclav Cerny who was the subject of Kettlewell’s praise.
After a bizarre Robin Propper own goal cancelled out Cyriel Dessers’ early opener, Wolfsburg loanee Vaclav Cerny took the ball onto his left boot and curled home the kind of stunning finish which made him such a ‘special’ talent in the Eredivisie.
That was Cerny’s first goal for Rangers.
This, following his late assist for Dessers during the 1-1 draw with Dynamo Kiev in midweek, does little to quell the notion that The Gers may have finally found the right winger they’ve been seeking for a number of years.
Cerny’s 24th minute strike proved to be the winner, Rangers triumphing by the odd goal in three.
But if it wasn’t for the intervention of the man at the other end of the pitch, Clement’s team could instead have begun the new campaign with three successive draws.Rangers beat Motherwell as Jack Butland shines again
Jack Butland – so often Rangers’ saviour last term – has picked up where he left off to remind everyone why he was named the club’s Player of the Year in the spring.
The former England international showed superb reflexes to get down low and keep Zach Robinson out in the second-half as Motherwell threatened an equaliser.
“I think back to Zach Robinson’s strike at goal,” sighs Kettlewell, via the Daily Record. “And it’s just a world-class save from Jack Butland.”
Kettlewell was disappointed, too, that Motherwell’s industry following the break counted for nothing.
“Without changing anything ridiculously, tactically, in the second-half, I felt we started to become a bit more aggressive. Started to get on the front foot,” he adds.
“Then, when you go into the dying embers of the game and you feel that you’ve got most of the pressure towards their goal, you’re hoping for that stand-out chance that gets you level in the game, and hopefully more.”
Philippe Clement lauds Vaclav Cerny impact
Clement, understandably, was quizzed about the role Cerny played in his own post-match press conference.
Alongside former Twente team-mate Propper, the winger was brought in to provide some experience – and no little quality – amongst a relatively young dressing room.
“That’s why we got him here! So that’s the idea,” Clement told Sky Sports when asked to comment on the eventual matchwinner Cerny.
“Also to to strengthen the squad and to get players in with with quality and experience next to our our young boys, who did also a really good game like Conor Baron for example.
“(Barron produced) a good game in the midfield. You see more and more the automatism we try to create.”
Butland’s fine stop, meanwhile, is made all the more impressive when you consider that he was a relative by-stander throughout the rest of the game.
“The second-half, we should have scored a third goal and then you you kill the belief of the opponent,” adds Clement. “Then, it’s a different end to the game
“But we didn’t give away much. Jack (Butland) didn’t have to make too many saves, or almost nothing. So it’s it’s a positive afternoon for sure in between two European games.”
