£4m star has never played at left-back for Rangers, now he could replace Meghoma
Glasgow Rangers were hit with a big injury blow last month when Tuur Rommens suffered a muscle injury that ruled him out for a spell of matches.
The Belgian full-back’s last appearance for the Light Blues came in the 4-1 win over Aberdeen before the March international break, missing the games against Dundee United and Falkirk.
Danny Rohl signed the defender from Westerlo for £3m during the January transfer window to bolster his options at the back, and he hit the ground running at Ibrox.
Rommens caught the eye with his attacking play from a full-back position, scoring one goal and creating four ‘big chances’ in the Scottish Premiership, and has been replaced by Jayden Meghoma in the last couple of games.
Unfortunately, the on loan Brentford left-back has not delivered particularly impressive performances in the wins over Dundee United and Falkirk.
Why Jayden Meghoma must be dropped by Rangers
The English youngster should be dropped from the starting line-up after he struggled in the last two games after coming in for Rommens due to his injury.
Against Dundee United, Meghoma lost six of his nine defensive duels and only registered 0.03 expected assists (xA) going the other way, which shows that he was weak defensively and lacked quality in his final ball.
In the 6-3 win over Falkirk, the defender missed an interception in the box that directly led to Ben Broggio scoring the opener, and he could have seen red on another day for a high challenge in the middle of the park as the last man.
Meghoma, unfortunately, has not shown enough quality on or off the ball to suggest that he is the answer for Rangers at left-back whilst Rommens is out through injury, which is why he should be dropped from the team.
Without the Belgian star, though, the Light Blues head coach does not have another natural left-back in the senior squad to draft into the team against Motherwell later this month.
How Danny Rohl can replace Jayden Meghoma
Rohl does not have to deploy a natural left-back to replace Meghoma in the starting line-up if Rommens is unavailable to face Motherwell, however, as he could be creative and unleash a star in a new position.
Mohamed Diomande came on in central midfield for the final five minutes of the 6-3 win over Falkirk on Sunday, after being an unused substitute for three of the previous four Premiership matches.
The £4m signing has fallen down the pecking order in his favoured position because Tochi Chukwuani, Nicolas Raskin, and Connor Barron have done more in Rohl’s eyes to earn more minutes on the pitch.
Diomande has endured a frustrating season at Ibrox because his form has fallen off after an impressive 2024/25 campaign under Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson, when he scored four goals and provided seven assists in the Premiership.
|
Diomande (Premiership) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
36 |
26 |
|
Goals |
4 |
1 |
|
Big chances created |
11 |
2 |
|
Assists |
7 |
3 |
|
Duel success rate |
55.1% |
49.7% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
47.7% |
43.5% |
|
Tackles + interceptions |
63 |
49 |
The left-footed star showcased his quality in and out of possession in the league last season for the Gers, winning the majority of his duels whilst delivering goals and assists from midfield.
It has not worked out for Diomande, who was described as “infuriating” in possession by content creator Michael McEwan, so far this season, hence why he has struggled for minutes of late, but Rohl could reignite the midfielder’s Rangers career by unleashing him in a brand-new role at left-back.
The 24-year-old star has started two career games at left-back, but never at Rangers, and could be an interesting option to unleash in that role ahead of Meghoma, as he is experienced in the Premiership, is a naturally left-footed player, and has great energy and intensity at his best.
If Rohl can get Diomande to perform at his best, the Ivorian would be an excellent left-back for Rangers because of his dominance in duels, his superb technical ability under pressure, and his great engine.
However, there is also the chance that his struggles in midfield in the current campaign carry over to left-back. That is a risk that is worth taking, though, when you consider Meghoma’s inexperience and struggles at left-back in recent games.
Therefore, Rohl should be creative and unleash Diomande in a brand-new role to drop Meghoma from the team against Motherwell, provided that Rommens is unavailable.
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