CALUM CROWE: Cyriel Dessers just doesn’t look up to the job for Rangers… green shoots of life against Hibs looks to have been a false dawn. This was another night of anonymity and frustration

• Rangers were held to a 0-0 draw away at Sparta Prague in the Europa League
• It was an anonymous display, once again, from £4m signing Cyriel Dessers 
• The Nigerian has shown precious little so far to justify the club’s outlay on him 

When Philippe Clement took the reins at Rangers, much of the intrigue was focused on how he would utilise the tools left to him by Michael Beale.

Particularly in the attacking third of the pitch, would he be able to sharpen those tools in a way that Beale was never able to do?

Granted, Clement’s tenure is still very much in its infancy and it would be unwise to make any snap judgments on the basis of two games.

But, in the case of Cyriel Dessers, the jury remains very much out after another night of anonymity and frustration against Sparta Prague.

In the 4-0 win over Hibs last weekend, Dessers looked like he might well have turned a corner. He applied himself well and deserved his goal.

Cyriel Dessers endured another frustrating evening as Rangers were held by Sparta Prague

It was a largely anonymous performance from a player Rangers spent £4m on in the summer

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But, on the basis of what we saw in this Europa League clash, that looks to have been a false dawn for the Nigerian striker.

Signed for a fee of over £4million from Cremonese in the summer, Dessers has shown precious little thus far to suggest he can vindicate that outlay.

His link-up play on Thursday night was non-existent and his lack of mobility meant that, in the first half in particular, Rangers never really had an out-ball.

Any time they managed to get the ball in to his feet, his first touch was like a brick wall. He didn’t help his team get up the pitch.

He looks like a poor man’s version of Alfredo Morelos. Dessers displays the qualities and tendencies of what we saw from Morelos at his worst, when he was patently unfit and off the pace.

Why is Morelos still a figure of relevance at Ibrox? Because none of the forward players signed in the summer look like they are an upgrade on the Colombian.

His shadow still looms over the striker position. Truth be told, there’s more than a few Rangers fans who would happily take him back.

That’s a fairly damning indictment on the summer recruitment and the attacking players brought to the club. None of them look up to the job.

Dessers has shown little so far to suggest that was an outlay that will reap reward for Rangers

The uncomfortable truth for Rangers is that he is a poor man’s version of Alfredo Morelos

Rangers still don’t look like they have a proper No 9, which is criminal given that the club spent upwards of £13m on a major overhaul back in the summer.

Tough games away from home in Europe, these were the nights where Morelos excelled when he was on form and at his best.

But Dessers never got going at all. He still looks like a £4m misfit and isn’t showing supporters enough to convince them he can turn it around.

Clement will be delighted that his team escaped with a very valuable point. Rangers were miles off it in the first half, but enjoyed some decent moments in the second half.

A point keeps them in the hunt for qualification. But, moving forward, you suspect that Clement might be hamstrung by the lack of a proper No 9.

Danilo is now back in action after a facial injury and might be the best option available because Dessers just doesn’t look up to it.

After his goal against Hibs at the weekend, this felt like one step forwards and two steps backwards in terms of his own performance.

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