Lyall Cameron would have been well advised to stay off social media over the past couple of days given some of the pelters that have been coming his way courtesy of the keyboard warriors.
It’s safe to say the young midfielder hasn’t endeared himself to fans of his former employers with his comments on how he’s finding life having made the move up from a ‘smaller club’ like Dundee.
Sure, he could have perhaps been a touch more careful in his choice of words, but that wasn’t enough to let him off the hook in the eyes of some.
Best stay out of the City of Discovery for a while, Lyall. The good news for the 22-year-old is that he looks right at home in Glasgow.
He was one of a handful to get any sort of praise from manager Russell Martin following Saturday’s dismal collective display against Motherwell.
Considering he is the only one of nine new summer arrivals not to have been brought in by the new boss, he’s certainly made an impression.
Lyall Cameron gets another pass off despite coming under pressure from Plzen’s Tomas Ladra
Cameron keeps a close eye on Plzen’s veteran forward Matej Vydra
The former Dundee man found pockets of space time and time again in an assured display
Thrown in for his first start for the club on a huge European night in front of an expectant Ibrox crowd, he didn’t look the least bit out of place.
At the weekend, it was his attitude which caught Martin’s eye. His determination to run himself into the ground for his team-mates.
All of that was on full show once again here, but he offered far more than hard yards. More often that not, he was the one linking the play. Any possible early nerves were soon set aside with a thumping tackle to win back possession.
Time and time again, he found pockets of space between the lines. The visitors had no idea how to pick him up.
On this evidence, the once undroppable Nico Raskin might have a problem getting back into the team. One delicious pass in behind midway through an excellent first half set Djeidi Gassama free. Oliver Antman was unfortunate to see his first-time effort blocked on the line.
The Finnish new boy — signed on Monday from Dutch outfit Go Ahead Eagles — provided a much-needed spark on Rangers’ right-hand side.
It was he who won the penalty which doubled his side’s advantage, nicking the ball back on the edge of his own area before playing a one-two with Gassama and ending up being hauled down just as he was about to pull the trigger.
His delivery for Gassama to head home the third was inch-perfect. Early days, of course, but he couldn’t have asked for a much better start to his Rangers career.
The Ibrox side — with Antman and Gassama on the flanks — look, at long last, to have some pace about them. Goodness knows they’ve needed it.
Having Cyriel Dessers alongside them helped. The much-maligned front man — the only player to have attracted any interest this summer, according to his manager — is a big improvement on Danilo.
The Brazilian has contributed next to nothing in three starts so far this term. Dessers got a goal and an assist within the first half alone. Of course, he’ll never be good enough for many Rangers supporters, despite his outstanding goals return. But the club would be mad to let him go.
Like it or not, he is far and away their best option up top. For the time being, at least.
Russell Martin can start to think about a potential play-off with RB Salzburg or Club Brugge
The overall performance from Rangers was night and day compared to what they offered up at Fir Park at the weekend. Martin’s reading of the riot act worked a treat.
Just as well, too. He put himself in a tricky position ahead of Tuesday’s tie after hanging so many of his squad out to dry. Captain James Tavernier was one of four dropped.
Max Aarons was dreadful at left-back throughout both legs against Panathinaikos. In his more natural position on the opposite side of defence, he looked far more assured.
Rangers, as we’ve now come to expect under Martin in these early days, remain a tough watch when playing out from the back.
You could genuinely hear the collective intake of breath every time Nasser Djiga or John Souttar had possession in their own third. Thankfully, both carried out their defensive duties to a tee. The former’s outstanding block kept the scores level within the first 10 minutes.
Who knows whether or not it would have been a different story had Matej Vydra’s effort gone in. And quite honestly, who cares? Rangers are one step closer to the promised land.
