'This is harsh' - Pundit shares new Bajrami verdict after what he saw at Rangers

Andy Halliday has offered his verdict on Nedim Bajrami, admitting he is concerned about a “lack of athleticism” in the Rangers squad.

The Albanian international arrived in Glasgow on transfer deadline day in a £3.5million move from Sassuolo [Chris Jack, 30 August] and has impressed in his first two appearances in Gers colours.

Although Clyde 1 pundit Halliday has been impressed by the 25-year-old’s work in possession, he admits he is worried that Bajrami may lack the pace to impact Old Firm matches after what he has seen of the midfielder so far.

Speaking on the Open Goal YouTube channel (24 September, 1:20:05) he said: “I do look at Rangers right and see at the top level when they’re going to go play in the Europa League or Celtic.

“I do think they have a real lack of athleticism in their team and this is harsh, but I look at the boy Bajrami and think he’s a right good technical player but again no real pace or power.

“I think when he gets to these games, you’re talking about Arsenal all being six foot four, all rapid and strong, I think Bajrami looks like a Tom Lawrence to me.

“I think Bajrami looks quite similar to me in terms of he’s a lovely football player, easy on the eye, technical, but see when I saw [Arne] Engels for the first time, everyone was talking about how good he was on the ball but the big thing was he can run, he’s massive, how powerful is he?

“When you’re talking about going to the next level, competing in the Old Firm games and the Europa League, they’re the ones that sometimes stand out a wee bit more.”

How much did Nedim Bajrami’s transfer cost Rangers?

It does seem a bit early to already be writing off Bajrami. Philippe Clement’s side desperately needed a number 10 this summer after Todd Cantwell’s exit and in the Albanian international, they have found a solution.

However, there will be a feeling around some supporters and pundits that the Gers have basically signed a second Lawrence and have not really solved the issues within their squad.

Whether or not the addition of Bajrami will be able to help the Light Blues close the gap to Celtic at the top of the table won’t be evident until the next Old Firm derby rolls around.

When the Hoops travel to Ibrox, the 25-year-old needs to take the game by the scruff of the neck and show the likes of Halliday that he can still have a major impact on games, even if he is lacking a bit of pace and power.

The Light Blues’ financial position means that they are very rarely going to be able to buy a finished product in the transfer market and it may just be that in Bajrami they have solved one problem but left another exposed.

In other Rangers news, Clement has been lauded for a recent James Tavernier decision at Ibrox this season

For more Rangers news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.

The post 'This is harsh' - Pundit shares new Bajrami verdict after what he saw at Rangers appeared first on Ibrox News.