A sight all hoped would be left dormant in the memory banks once more reappeared in Scottish football this boxing day.

Empty seats, and lots of them. None as stark as the 49,000 or so left vacant in Glasgow’s southside. Despite mass crowds south of the border and Christmas shoppers taking advantage of discounted deals, football supporters were restricted to armchairs again due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Accompanied by the dulcet tones of Clive Tyldesley, a few hundred lucky ballot winners aside, there was a joy to match the misery of missing out. A relentless dominance that brought such entertainment the last time fans were locked out of Ibrox nostalgically reappeared.

2-0 far from summarised the constant control enjoyed by the Champions against a St Mirren side who made just over 150 passes and attempted a solitary shot.

The performance brought a welcome reminder of how untouchable this group can be in their own domestic league. Benefiting from fresh ideas and new solutions, they seem kitted out for challenges that proved overbearing in earlier months of the campaign.

Refreshed by a rare gap in midweek, better acclimatised to new tactical demands earned through a normal week of training. Rangers evoked welcome ghosts of lockdown of old. The booming voice of Connor Goldson, Allan McGregor’s berating, Ibrox’s vast surface fully exploited by synchronized cross-pitch endeavours.

In Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s seventh league game his record improved again. Another clean sheet attained, six-points worth of cushion to see the side into 2022. Anyone associated with the club would still jump at the possibility of playing Aberdeen and Celtic in the next week. However, based on the evidence provided, extra time for Van Bronckhorst to imprint his ideas should prove more valuable than momentum.

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The manager had beamed at the prospect of a normal week leading into yesterday’s tie. Ever since his November arrival, his team have quickly applied the changes he spoke of in his very first press conference. However, midweek games have prevented him from a run of valuable training pitch days. 

James Tavernier has tempted suggestions of an inverted role in recent games. As The Rangers Review detailed in midweek, against Livingston, Dundee United and St Johnstone it was clear he was instructed to play inside the pitch more regularly. With Scott Wright outside of him, Rangers’ captain was able to drift in the spaces the former’s movement made accessible.

Underlapping and popping up in areas besides the at times one-man midfield of Glen Kamara. He could well have earned a goal and assist from these central areas with a shot that was tipped wide and a first-time ball Alfredo Morelos so nearly capitalised on.

Wright gave his best showing to date at Ibrox. Now a year into his spell, his challenge is undoubtedly to break out of the narrative that he is an impact player. Throughout, he stretched the visiting defence and drove beyond Scott Tanser. Clipping the post, playing in more than one ball that should have been converted and opening the scoring.

Borna Barisic’s return on the opposite flank brought a far greater balance to proceedings. His inverted role in the build-up to form a back three, which was clear in the 3-0 win over Dundee, proved valuable again. Choosing his moment to arrive, a trademark delivery was put away at the second attempt by Alfredo Morelos for the game's final goal.

Rangers’ approach play which looked so restricted against Dundee United was far improved with Barisic’s involvement and Tavernier’s positioning. Time and again they moved a block 25 yards from goal out of place and played through the created gap. More goals should have followed.

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Morelos left the pitch beaming at half-time. He should have had more on the day, but his goal return in the last month shows a sustained recovery of his best form. Clearly, his role in this system is to score goals before anything else. Clearly, he is enjoying such simplification.

"It's time to rest," was the response of Van Bronckhorst when quizzed about his winter break programme. 

His perfect record to date has reinvigorated the very best principles of this squad's very best season. By adding new variants and options. Looking to the past is no bad thing if it promises a successful future.