Gassama is one of those players you can’t take your eyes off. He’s got that proper street-football feel about him, the sort of winger who can turn a nothing situation into a chance with one drop of the shoulder. And by all accounts, his attitude towards Rangers is the right one too: he’s said he wants to stay, be part of a title charge, and he’s even spoken warmly about Danny Rohl as a father figure.

That’s the positive bit. The bit that gets you onside, because supporters will always back a player who wants to be here and is willing to work.

The talent is obvious, the end product isn’t

If you asked me to pick one player in the squad to beat a defender in a straight 1v1, I’m picking Gassama. He’s direct, he’s quick over the first few yards, and he carries the ball like he expects to win. That alone is gold in Scottish football, where so many teams sit in and dare you to break them down.

But the truth is, the move doesn’t finish when the full-back gets beaten. That’s where his big issue shows up. The shot selection, the timing of the pass, the weight of the cross, the simple decision to reset instead of forcing it, it’s all a bit too improvised. He looks like a raw player making it up as he goes, rather than someone who already knows what the end of the move should look like.

A moment that sums it up

You can see it in moments during games. The example that sticks is the one where he does everything right at the hard-working end: he tracks back, wins the ball, then produces a bit of skill to beat his man and suddenly Rangers are breaking with a 4v3. That’s a dream scenario. Numbers up, bodies running, their defence turning.

And then it goes. Wrong pass, and worse, the execution isn’t there either. It’s the kind of phase that can change the temperature in a match, because if you pick the right option you’re either creating a clear chance or forcing them into a last-ditch tackle. Instead, you’re letting them reset and you’re back to square one.

Not a head-turning issue, a coaching issue

This doesn’t feel like a player whose head’s been turned, or someone going through the motions. It’s decision making and the technical detail of the final action. That’s actually the encouraging part, because those are coachable problems.

If Danny Rohl and the staff can give him clearer pictures, simpler triggers, when to go, when to release, when to keep it, then you might end up with the full package. Because Rangers don’t need another winger who can just beat a man. We need the one who beats him, then makes it count.

Written by AyrshireMurphy: 23 January 2026

Tags: squad