More recently, we've seen players like Sheyi Ojo, Kemar Roofe, Scott Wright, Fashion Sakala, Amad Diallo and Rabbi Matondo play in that role with none really cementing a first XI position for various reasons. Indeed, James Tavernier has been our main goal threat and assist provider on the right side of the pitch; scoring 101 goals and making 117 assists in total across eight seasons. Whilst we don't want to lose that threat and perhaps it can explain why the others mentioned have struggled, hopefully the signing of Sima could lighten the load on Tavernier even if just for a season.
The young and talented Senegalese forward made waves in the football world with his impressive performances for Slavia Prague at just 19 years of age. In season 2020/21 in which he made two very impressive appearances against Rangers in the Europa League where he stood out as an exciting talent. That season he went on to make 35 appearances with 16 goals and 6 assists which secured a €8million move to Brighton. The following two seasons he was loaned out to Stoke City in the Championship and Angers in Ligue 1 of France. In 2021/22 he made 8 appearances for Stoke with 0 goals and 0 assists. In 2022/23 he made 37 appearances for Angers with 6 goals and 2 assists.
Although these loan stats are not as impressive as his first season with Slavia Prague, Sima definitely has the potential to be a brilliant signing for Rangers as Brighton clearly have a good eye for a player and Rangers do tend to have more attacking play than Stoke or Angers.
Sima possesses raw natural talent and ability that sets him apart from many other young players. His agility, speed, and technical skills make him a nightmare for defenders to deal with. His lightning fast pace and ability to dribble past defenders with ease make him a potent threat in one-on-one situations as we seen in last weekend's pre-season friendly in Germany.
Rangers have lacked such a player who can consistently take on opponents on the flanks and create scoring opportunities so Sima’s presence on the right-wing would give us a much-needed cutting edge in attack. Sima has demonstrated his goal-scoring prowess already in his career and his ability to find the back of the net consistently would provide us with an additional goal-scoring threat from the right-wing position.
Currently we have relied mostly on our central striker, attacking midfielders or right back to score goals or create chances leaving us vulnerable when opponents manage to neutralise our key players. Introducing Sima into the Rangers attack would offer a new dimension to our offensive play and make it harder for opposing teams to strategise against us. Sima’s versatility is another aspect that makes him an ideal solution for Rangers. While primarily a right-winger, Sima is also adept at playing as a centre-forward or on the opposite flank. This versatility would give us the flexibility to rotate our attacking options and make us less predictable.
In addition to his on field abilities, Sima’s hunger and desire to succeed plus willingness to learn would also align with our values and ambitions, making him an excellent fit for the club. I also feel Sima’s arrival would inject much-needed energy and competition into the Rangers squad - something that has been missing for too long. Adding a player of Sima’s calibre would not only enhance our attacking options but should also push other players in the squad to raise their game. Competition for places is vital in maintaining a high-performance level and Sima’s inclusion would achieve just that.
Let’s hope for a very successful season ahead for the team on the pitch for Sima and the team as a whole!
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