IT was clear from Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first 45 minutes at Rangers that Joe Aribo was seen as the centrepiece of this side.

With defensive burdens lifted from his shoulders and responsibility to get into the box increased, the side’s pace of attacks shifted up a notch and greater width evident; Aribo was granted greater license and seized the initiative instantaneously against Sparta Prague.

Under Steven Gerrard, the 25-year-old complimented attacks rather than driving them. Van Bronckhorst’s tactical changes have afforded the likes of Aribo, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos greater positional autonomy. Kent and Morelos are playing in areas suited to their skillsets, by the touchline formally and the closer to the goals laterally. Aribo himself told RangersTV he was playing “more freely” last month.

In a parallel universe where Gerrard remained with Rangers, Aribo’s AFCON absence would not have been quite so significant. Gerrard was more system-orientated, fitting players into his style, while van Bronckhorst appears to be creating a team that is hellbent on getting the best of key attackers. The thing about increasing the individualism within a system is that, when said members are absent, it becomes difficult to replace their impact.

Following a month that featured countless man of the match awards, much of the winter break was spent discussing means with which to replace the midfielder while he was playing for his country. Could Ianis Hagi provide a straight swap? What about bringing Kent infield? In the end a trio of Glen Kamara, James Sands and Hagi started for the first game back and the threat's posed by Rangers' midfield towards the tail end of 2021 dissipated. 

READ MORE: Why Ryan Kent is Rangers' No.10 'solution' amidst Joe Aribo absence

Results away at Tynecastle and Easter Road perhaps held greater encouragement than either performance, the trip to face Robbie Neilson’s side, in particular, required an Allan McGregor masterclass to record a clean sheet after two devastating early attacks from the visitors. Transitions appeared sharper and held a greater sting in the tail on that day than the lumbered showing at Pittodrie, in which the league leaders played with an Aribo-sized midfield hole throughout. Despite scoring a goal in transition, the spaces opened up centrally, so willingly exploited at Tynecastle and the Toni Macaroni, were left unencumbered and unpunished. 

Throughout van Bronckhorsts’s short spell, Aribo has been used in different roles. Against Sparta he was very much the No.10, attacking the box and only alternating positions with Hagi in possession. Against Hearts his instruction to occupy spaces that Kent’s wide position opened up returned a wonderful two-touch finish, facing Livingston a goal also came from attacking the left half-space, exploitable because of the team’s quick attacks and switches of play.

Don’t overlook contributions at home to St Johnstone and Dundee, fixtures that again showed the varying threats to his game and an improved directness around the penalty box. Against Callum Davidson’s side he attempted 10 dribbles and facing James McPake’s only two in a match where his movement held greater weight, man of the match awards were attained in both ties.

“When you have a midfield player who is dangerous with his runs, with his off-ball movement, you create more danger from different areas,” van Bronckhorst said shortly before Christmas of the player, highlighting his intelligence to hurt defences even when not in possession of the ball.

“He plays really well in this position he plays now in midfield, a little bit as an 8 or 10 so we can rotate a lot in there. He just keeps on looking for the right times to break and that’s something we talk about a lot, not just with him but with all midfield players. It was a great goal today,” he commented following the win over Hearts.

READ MORE: How Rangers debutant Alex Lowry 'played his own game' with superior scanning and effective dismarking

Whether it be movement into the open spaces, aggressive runs with the ball against packed defences, combination play or changing the angle of attacks from the right - Aribo's skillset is unique at Ibrox and his level above the rest of the midfield.

It’s no bad thing to build your team around your strongest players. And who knows, perhaps the sleepy return to Premiership action was in part owing to a sustained break or below-par night across the board.

The deliberations of this past month however will ultimately only be answered by Aribo’s return. Having been unleashed within this system, a conspicuous absence speaks to his success.