The glaring issue Rangers must fix before next Old Firm

Philippe Clement’s side were denied a clear penalty when the game was tied 3-3 in extra-time, created the better chances (2.09 to 1.16xG) and passed up a glaring four-vs-one moment when a goal to the good. New CEO Patrick Stewart spoke with the SFA during his first day in the role over the non-award of the spot-kick.

And yet this was another defeat in a fixture the Ibrox side has a habit of losing at present. Rangers’ Old Firm record reads three wins, three draws, and 12 defeats since the start of the 2021/22 season.

The Rangers Review rewatched the game to dissect what went right and wrong at Hampden...

The good (and bad) of an approach seen before

Rangers have tended to play directly over the aggressive Celtic press in recent years and that trend continued here. 18 of Jack Butland’s 25 passes were long (72%), while Kasper Schmeichel played just 8 long passes from 67 (12%). There’s nothing inherently wrong with that statistic. Clement could point to higher chance creation on the day and likely views going over the press, rather than through it, a better balance of risk and reward.

When Rangers’ approach back to front worked well it looked something like this. Rather than playing a straight ball first, they manipulated the Celtic press with an angled pass before then hitting the forward line. In this example, Jack Butland clips the ball to James Tavernier who then targets Hamza Igamane’s movement, behind Cameron Carter-Vickers. In theory ,this grants Rangers a three-vs-two in space if able to win the second ball.

Notice in the reverse frame the deep positioning of Vaclav Cerny, a deliberate staggering to drag the Celtic defence into a vertical line and maximise space on the left.

Igamane’s movement behind the centre-backs, a theme of the day, drags Alasdair Johnson narrow. Leaving Ianis Hagi free momentarily but unable to pick out a teammate. Until Danilo joined the game, Clement’s men lacked a real presence for crosses and cutbacks.

The downside of this approach? Sometimes putting the ball up in the air puts possession up for grabs and can leave control of a game fleeting. Rangers’ pass completion stood at just 71% to their opponent’s 84.

Consider the origin point of Celtic’s second goal. While it was Daizen Maeda’s pressing that created a chance the ball was lost, or put up for grabs, in midfield after a looping Butland kick that gained height not ground. Rangers needed to relieve pressure having just conceded but their reliance on going over the press restricted that option.

Why the pressing plan worked

One new feature of this fixture that did bring some much-needed legs to the Ibrox side’s performance was Nedim Bajrami. The Albanian played a key role in improving Rangers’ structure off the ball and showed a turn of pace for the opening goal that Clement has sorely lacked at No.10.

Callum McGregor’s influence on this game is well-known and Clement chose to place Bajrami firmly on the Celtic captain’s toes. Although this occasionally allowed a Celtic centre-back to run free with the ball it neutralised the biggest creative threat in midfield.

Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande were required to cover so much ground and, as we’ll cover, when Nicholas Kuhn started to win his duels after half-time the midfield became stretched. However, it should be said that Rangers’ off-ball structure looked far better here than in most Old Firms under Clement. With dynamic profiles in the team able to cover big spaces. Perhaps all that was missing, alongside decision-making, was a degree of pace on either wing.

The way Rangers regained possession for the opening goal of the game showed Clement's plan in action.

With Austin Trusty on the ball, all of his passing options are marked up. Greg Taylor rotates infield to create an angle but Cerny remains zonal rather than following him infield, knowing that would open up a passing lane into the left-wing. This is a vital detail because it means Taylor needs to play the way he’s facing.

Mohamed Diomande recognises a trigger to jump, leaving Reo Hatate in his ‘cover shadow’ - that is, because Hatate’s directly behind Diomande Taylor cannot pass through the No.10. At the same Bajrami jumps off of McGrgeor and Hagi starts to move forward. It’s a clear and coordinated movement.

While Rangers’ attack into space was clunky, a theme to also be explored, their pressing worked excellently. And they had the pace at No.10 and No.9 to then exploit the space it created.

The good and bad at corners

Rangers scored their first goal from a corner all season at Hampden - but was it planned or improvised? The set-up before Diomande’s strike would suggest the latter. The Ibrox outfit took nine corners on the day and only two were quick, short, improved attempts, as they were chasing a second goal. Firstly Hagi rushed over with Robin Propper to take a corner from the left before Igamane and Tavernier returned the favour moments later.

While unplanned, the speed of the action showed its value. Look at the set-up in the box as Igamane plays short; Bajrami and Sterling are discussing their runs, Diomande has his back to goal and only two Celtic players have realised the ball is back in play.

​This means that when Igamane lifts his head, Diomande can pin himself one-on-one against Engels in space before turning brilliantly.

Rangers were also caught out by a quick corner, however. In the first-half this was their defensive set-up. Reo Hatate was unmarked at the edge of the box but Rangers' set-up means they have plenty of bodies to rush out should the ball reach him. Igamane is ahead of Taylor and McGregor at the near post, while Cerny marks the short option.

However, at the start of the second period as Celtic chased a goal their set-up also altered. Notice that Taylor’s positioning has changed in the lead-up to his goal. Rangers have an 8v4 in the box, like the first-half, but while Igamane and Cerny have stayed in the same position, Taylor, McGregor and Kuhn have all moved up a step. An inswinger away from the eight Rangers bodies creates the shooting opportunity.

Were Clement's subs too reactive?

Kuhn has probably been Scotland’s form player this season and for the first 45 minutes, Rangers did well to keep him quiet. The German completed just one of six dribbles and bar a one-on-one moment with Butland when he ought to have squared the ball to Kyogo, his impact before half-time was limited.

However, there is a strong argument that when Jefte was yellow carded on the stroke of half-time Clement should’ve switched the Brazilian for Ridvan. Kuhn managed three of three successful dribbles inside 15 minutes after the break. Although neither of the first two goals originated from the right, it was there that Celtic built pressure and turned the screw, earning the above corner which levelled the game.

Clement merits some understanding for his lack of changes. Had Rangers taken advantage of the four-v-one moment just after 50 minutes the Belgian’s plan would’ve been vindicated. Sterling had to come on at centre-back rather than on one of the wings. With that said, it felt a little reactive to replace the carded Jefte with Ridvan when the scoreline had turned 2-1.

What does that four-vs-one moment represent?

Remember this moment in Nice?

How similar was the four-vs-one Rangers failed to capitalise upon when a goal ahead on Sunday?

Two isolated moments of bad luck or is there something deeper at play? Well, for the good chances Rangers did fashion, they also continue to shoot from unrealistic positions and even Bajrami’s opening goal relied on an element of fortune when Igamane’s initial shot bounced back into his path. Here are a few examples of moments that showed an erratic edge in the final third (the 'possible' option highligted in red compared to the actual action in white).

An Igamane shot from distance...

Bajrami shooting instead of finding the free man...

Tavernier crossing (Rangers managed 23 to Celtic's 12) when Bajrami was free in the box...

Jefte failing to find a cutback...

Balogun failing to release Igamane...

While Celtic’s third goal was a rare occasion when two Rangers players jumped up and left space at the wrong time (Ridvan and Nico Raskin), look at how Rodgers’ men work a shooting chance from this three-vs-four.

Yes, first and foremost Diomande was tripped by Kuhn, leaving a gaping hole where the German could shoot from. Even still, the dynamics of the move are important to highlight because Arne Engels recognises that instead of trying to cut the ball across the box and create a chance as close to goal as possible, the three remaining Rangers defenders are leaving a huge gap at the top of the box.

While Rangers fashioned more attacks into space, Celtic were more ruthless when those positions materialised.