Rangers' Old Firm disaster analysed: Celtic's rotations exploit ill-fated first-half tactical plan

Ryan Jack had no part to play in Rangers’ first half during yesterday’s Old Firm, but his vantage point on the bench allowed him to watch a disaster unfold. As he suggests above, Celtic worked harder, ran more while showing greater creativity on the ball; all three statements are indisputable to any viewer. 

The other main contributing factor undoubtedly was a tactical set-up that aided and abetted Ange Postecoglou’s system while failing to exploit any of its vulnerabilities.

Speaking to Sky Sports post-match van Bronckhorst seemed bereft at the nature of his side’s performance. “Our Old Firm started in the second half,” he said, by which point the game was of course already won. “The way we gave the goals away, it's just sharpness. Not going with your man, not being ready for the battles.”

What was van Bronckhorst’s plan last night and why did it play out so spectacularly bad?

Rangers clearly didn't want to press high, even in moments, as the hosts did whenever possession turned over. It seemed their entire game plan centred on stopping Callum McGregor from receiving the ball and trying to block passing lanes into either inverted wing-back, leaving Amad Diallo and Ryan Kent ahead of the ball to try and exploit space down the side of the Celtic defence.

However, Rangers' man-marking approach was not carried out with aggression and their opponent's neat rotations on either wing left both full-backs facing constant overloads. Passing lanes were always open into Liel Abada and Jota and as such the pressure was relentless. This led to the visiting side being pushed backwards time after time.

Two early rotations down Rangers' right-hand side showed the limitations of this plan. Here as Jota receives the ball and Taylor rotates inside, Amad gets out to close down the winger quickly and play is forced backwards.

However, just seconds later as Celtic attempt the same rotation Tavernier and Amad both close down the winger and two Celtic players rush into the opened space. There appeared confusion surrounding defensive responsibility throughout.

Celtic always had the option of an easy pass into the final third due to the lack of pressure from the front and space both Jota and Abada received in space constantly, injecting pace into attacks.

This was even more harmful on the Rangers left. Again in this example, a lack of pressure from the front allows the home team to wait for their moment and comfortably execute a route to goal.

Cameron Carter-Vickers finds Matt O’Reily, quicker than Joe Aribo to the ball, who can lay the ball into the path of Josip Juranovic first time. Because, as shown above, Kent has been instructed to sit in front of the inverted full-back Celtic can create an overload. Abada rotating inside creates room for the right-back to strive forwards, exposing the vulnerabilities of this man-marking approach.

Barisic is left with two men and Giorgos Giakoumakis forces Allan McGregor into a great save - a simple rotation creating a high-value chance in seconds.

Time after time, the man-to-man approach without any pressure on the ball from the front left the Ibrox side scrambling to recover. 

Surely a far better plan would have been to remain compact and defend crosses, man-mark the wingers tightly or try to disrupt the centre-backs more often. The best course of action would have been to get in Celtic's faces and play higher up the pitch.

READ MORE: Rangers’ Old Firm wounds are reopened as Giovanni van Bronckhorst gets it badly wrong - Joshua Barrie

None of the above happened and while van Bronckhorst said he felt as though his team were "waiting" for the opponent to score, this approach made concessions an inevitability. 

Time and time again either full-back allowed their opposing winger space to progress into the penalty box, not helped by the constant overloads they faced.

Notice Kent’s glance over his shoulder before the ball is played through the midfield in this example, looking to block the passing lane into Juranovic.

And although Kent positions himself well Celtic can still create a wide overload, Juranovic may not have received the ball but his decoy run prevents Barisic from sticking tight to his man, from the eventual corner the home side take the lead.

Later in the half, Kent is again trying to protect the space but in doing so leaves the left-hand side exposed.

McGregor finds Juranovic regardless, Barisic is sucked infield and then has to try and recover.

The same pattern of poor defending repeats and another chance is created.

The left-back endured a particularly torrid evening, the deep locations of his defensive actions from the match shows where the problem lay for Rangers - they offered too much respect throughout and sat off their hosts, failing to act as the aggressor.

While the concession of the first goal on the night originated from a corner earned through wide overloads, the second was created in one play via the same route.

Kent’s obscure position again allows the home side free passage into the opposition half.

Unable to catch Juranovic, Celtic have easily created a dangerous opportunity. Abada is intelligent to run inside of Barisic who has no idea where the attacker is after O'Reily again beats Aribo to the ball.

Glen Kamara is slack in his recovery and Hatate adds a second.

Rangers travelled East with a plan that did not work. Without the ball, the home side hassled and made possession uncomfortable, while van Bronckhorst's men continually made the route into their final third available with open avenues. 

Celtic played with more confidence and undoubtedly left more on the pitch than their opponents, but from a tactical point of view, the victory in the dugout was equally emphatic.