Philippe Clement told Rangers need 'major surgery' as Aberdeen hero takes no positives from meek Cup Final effort

Philippe Clement has been told his Rangers side are in need of major surgery, and that they flattered to deceive against Aberdeen.

But conversely the Dons can take not one single positive from their defeat in the Viaplay Cup final, after failing to register a single shot on target during the Hampden showpiece on Sunday. Barry Robson's men faltered where Clement's fought through, with a single James Tavernier strike at a soggy national stadium sealing the first piece of silverware of the season draped in the colours of Rangers. And while Aberdeen hero Willie Miller can concede the Dons were woeful, he reckons it wasn't the picture-perfect Rangers either.

The pundit has identified that the Rangers of old under Michael Beale has been well and truly swept up by Clement. Yet he sees no light at the end of the tunnel for his old club after misfiring on the big stage. He told the Press and Journal: "Losing the Viaplay Cup final against Rangers was a huge missed opportunity for Aberdeen which supporters can take no positives from. The final was against a Rangers side in need of major surgery.

"Although the Ibrox club are getting results they are not performing at a particularly high level. The side Aberdeen faced at Hampden is certainly not the Rangers of old. On top of that, Rangers also had injury problems and played a tough, must-win Europa League game against Real Betis in Spain a few days prior to the final.

"When you come up against a team like Rangers, you need to take advantage of those factors – but Aberdeen didn’t. The final defeat is a difficult game to take any positivity from if you are an Aberdeen fan.

"Aberdeen were in a cup final cheered on by a travelling support of nearly 20,000 and yet failed to register a