Soulé along with Pellegrini find the net as AS Roma dominate Rangers

Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side handled this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when capitulation felt the probable outcome. Yet, the game was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have ambitions again on achieving significant success. Their only regret here was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected men against boys.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will soon have major ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s dismal tenure as the head coach lasted just over four months in the early part of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

Another element was far more striking as the sides lined up. The home team’s obvious lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team in front. The visitors minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness despite reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers should have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through their captain, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, typically a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. The discontent which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were clearly in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, obviously sinister in tone, depicted the duo with targets on their faces. It raises questions what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman had an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before leading a takeover of this club. Fans have not targeted the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, however, difficult to determine Roma’s continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he somehow hit up and on to the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of changes from each side meant this game closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma fine. There was cause to consider how exactly Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of just participating.