Clement pleased with win over Hibs but still looking for Rangers improvements

Philippe Clement was pleased with his new team’s performance in the 4-0 win over Hibs on Saturday, but admits he is still looking for improvements.

The Rangers manager was welcomed to Ibrox with a convincing win over the Edinburgh side who lost their first game under Nick Montgomery

Abdallah Sima scored twice and impressed throughout from a wide position with Nico Raskin and Cyriel Dessers adding to the scoreline.

Speaking after the match he was asked if he was “impressed” with the performance and he said: “Impressed is a big word, I am happy with the result and I am happy that the seeds that we planted this week that the team is trying to follow the instructions as good as possible.

“I still saw a lot of details that can be made better, but I have seen a team that stayed within the structure made great runs without the ball and the tempo that we played.

“The most important thing for me was the reactions after losing the ball or missing a chance were good, and that’s a huge part in modern football.

“But this is still the honeymoon period when everything is new, they now to confirm this level of performance in the next weeks and months.”

Left back Borna Barisic only lasted ten minutes before being replaced by Ridvan Yilmaz and others looked like they lacked the fitness to finish the game, and Clement cited this as one down side of the win.

He also made clear that these areas they will need to rapidly improve to get to the level he plans to take them to.

He said: “The downside for me is that I see a player falling out after ten minutes, I see other players that struggled to play the full game, there are still several players who were out injured or just coming back from injury, so that’s going to be our main task together with the performance staff to get everyone at their best physical level.

“Because they need to produce this kind of level and better every game and every two days over the next couple of months.

“It’s not just about doing it for one moment and then being too tired to do it again a couple of days later, so we still have a lot of work to do it.

“But I am really happy about the reaction from the players.”

The Easter Road side’s six-game unbeaten run – five under Nick Montgomery – came to an end and the Hibs boss said: “It was a tough afternoon. It was a defeat.

“Obviously disappointed with the manner of the first goal. I thought we were building into the game at that point, frustrating them and we’d created a couple of half chances on the counter.

“It’s a disappointing goal to concede. And then they start building a bit of momentum, the fans are buoyed by a new coach coming in.

“The second goal, my view at the time is it was a foul on Joe Newell. That’s my opinion and I’ve watched it back on the video – he gets kicked from behind, into his Achilles before the ball is touched.

“I genuinely thought VAR would have called that back – but it wasn’t to be.

“The second half was difficult, a couple of sloppy turnovers, the pressure was off them and they’ve got quality players.

“They were more clinical than us in the final third today. We lacked a bit of creativity, didn’t generate many chances.

“It wasn’t to be, it’s a defeat and we accept it. We cop it on the chin and move forward.”