We’ve spoken on the site about our questions over the future of Greg Docherty. Some agree with our concerns, others think he has a huge role to play. But one summer signing from Steven Gerrard, who played a heck of a lot in that position, when fit, during 2018 was Mali’s Lassana Coulibaly.
Signed on loan from French cracks Angers, the affable midfielder started life at Ibrox pretty inconspicuously, before building up a huge head of steam between July and August. Sadly a bad injury against St Mirren curtailed him, and since his return, has been nowhere near the player he was, possible not helped by an apparent family bereavement, believed to be his father.
And Gerrard’s January work suggests the Rangers manager is already looking forward with regards midfield – not only bringing in Steven Davis, but likely adding Finland’s Glen Kamara now, should negotiations go favourably with Dundee.
The end game is two more players for central midfield, which is either our manager planning for suspensions and injuries, or him looking to replace existing underperformers, which unfortunately, circumstances aside, definitely includes the destructive marauder.
There is, however, absolutely no sign of his being returned to Angers, however, despite all the new acquisitions and the borderline ridiculous depth Rangers have in the middle – Gerrard will certainly not want for choice in that area of the pitch.
Will he go back? There is, as mentioned, no apparent motion in that area – and despite his poor form for the bulk of the second half of 2018, Coulibaly tended to start more often than not; 25 appearances despite a two-month absence shows how much he was involved. And this was despite Gerrard having the likes of Jordan Rossiter and Ross McCrorie to call upon.
However, the latter is certain to have a bigger role in the second half of the season – McCrorie came onto some excellent form and was stellar v Celtic, and he will be expecting to make a much bigger impression on the XI than he did last year. While Coulibaly’s recent form doesn’t really justify his place at all.
Is it best he returns to Angers? Probably. He’s another team’s player who, regardless of mitigating circumstances, hasn’t delivered enough in Scotland.
Whether Gerrard agrees will depend on how much depth the manager wants to have. And, of course, any clauses which stipulate return circumstances.
Would you keep the Malian at Ibrox?
Send him packing, he is just rank rotten
As you say, good start faded badly. There may be reasons for this, but the fact remains we now have several better options. he is unlikely to get much game time, we are likely to strengthen, again, in the summer, so he will not be part of the project.
Go with our thanks
He'll stay as a back up player til his loan ends then back to france he goes, the only reason we wont cancel now is to save on the fee for early candellation.
Perhaps, but we had no issue doing it with Ejaria and Sadiq?
This absolutely true, but I'm sure there's some behind the scenes reasons for Ejaria and Sadiq being returned to sender. By this point, I trust that Stevie G has a plan A, B, and C. We know Coulibaly can do a job. Unfortunately, he needs to start understanding what being consistent means. If we can, at some point in the second half, see the midfield destroyer we saw in August for a month or two, we'll be in a good place. There is no doubt a player in there somewhere. The fact that our gaffer hasn't given up on this kid offers room for hope that he'll flick the switch back on, because there were moments early on in the campaign that he looked like the best player on the park.
We shall see how it all plays out, but I'm excited to get the games back flowing along. Next stop, silverware!
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