Analysis

Danny Rohl's subtle Rangers weapon he can only now utilise

Rangers were a huge threat from crosses on Sunday - because of when they released the ball <i>(Image: RR)</i>
Rangers were a huge threat from crosses on Sunday - because of when they released the ball (Image: RR)
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To date, Danny Rohl has improved Rangers by establishing organisation, keeping clean sheets and scoring set-piece goals.

Against Queen's Park on Sunday, during a thumping 8-0 win, his side added further elements and layers in the final third that made progression in the Scottish Cup emphatic.

Although against lowly opposition - you need not look too far into the past for evidence that such a disparity guarantees a win - this was an afternoon that showed us some more of Rohl's ideas on the ball when attacking the box.

As he suggested post-match speaking to Premier Sports: "It was not easy when I took over; you have to win games. And now you can speak about the final third stuff, building step by step. First, it's about a good structure against the ball."

What were the added elements in the final third? Crosses.

What's new about that? Haven't we seen many unsuccessful Rangers teams fling balls into the box at an alarming rate under a range of frustrated managers in recent years?

Yes. But how and when you cross is key, as Sunday showed.

Scoring against low blocks is not an exact science. You need the odd goal from distance, an occasional provider of individualism and set-piece threat won't hurt.

As Mikel Arteta explained last week when discussing Arsenal's bid to use shots from the box to prise open defences this season: "The more density there is inside the box and the more contact there is, the more difficult it is to score goals in open play, so you have to find other ways."

It's very common for Rangers to face 'density' in the box. Or, in other words, a lot of bodies.

What's important, therefore, is how they cross against a low block. How they carry a wide threat to move that defensive unit.

Again, to quote Rohl post-match on Sunday, "In the last couple of weeks, we haven't had the right numbers in the box. We spoke about this after Hibs. Just one or two in the box, now we have three or four or five in the right spaces. And of course the delivery."

Timing and delivery are so important. As is physicality and yesterday, Rangers' dominant size and stature was obvious. Moving play from side to side before overloading the back post is generally how Rangers attacked the box against Queen's. Crossing at moments that suited the attacking team, rather than the defending team.

Three goals depict the point Rohl is making below.

In this instance, before James Tavernier's first goal of the day, Andreas Skov Olsen resists crossing the ball for a few reasons.

The visitors have a numerical overload in the box; they're on their toes rather than their heels, unlike the Rangers attackers, and therefore would probably favour defending a deep delivery.

Compare the picture a mere nine seconds later. Now, Mo Diomande has quickly moved play to the left and exchanged a one-two with Tuur Rommens. Suddenly, the picture in the box is much different. The circumstances favour Rangers. Rather than attacking directly, they've changed the angle.

They now have a four-vs-four against Queen's Park at the back post because, despite the away side defending deep, they're stretched having darted over to the left. Plus, a backwards pass to Diomande means the Queen's defence squeezes forwards to increase the space between defence and goalkeeper.

As a result, Rangers are on their toes and Queen's are on their heels. The momentum is with the home side, and Tavernier, to score.

Here's the goal in video format.

The second goal that was derived from a cross was in the end scored from the penalty spot, but the spot-kick was again won by crossing at the right time.

Look at the bodies surrounding Oliver Antman here. He has drawn in three Queen's players, which means there is space to be exploited elsewhere. However, the defending team are still relatively well set to defend a direct cross. Importantly, they are on their toes, facing forwards, primed to attack a ball.

So what happens? Rangers play backwards, again to Diomande. But consider how the circumstances have subtly changed seconds later.

The pass to Diomande triggers Queen's to pressure the ball, which gives Rangers a little more space to attack and leaves Ryan Naderi and Bojan Miovski in a two-vs-two rather than a three-vs-two, because the Queen's defender just ahead of Naderi is being drawn to the ball.

Increasing the gap ever so slightly between the goalkeeper and his defence normally favours the attacking team.

Although Rangers don't win first contact, the knock-on effect of their two strikers being in a man-for-man battle is that the player marking Skov Olsen rushes to the scene of the crime, leaving the Danish winger unmarked to strike the ball against an arm from yards out.

Again, here's the play in video form.

And for our final act? Naderi's second header shortly after the interval.

On this occasion, Rohl's side do cross from a deep area through Rommens, but Queen's are well placed to defend with cover in the box and little distance for the left-back to hit between the goalkeeper and backline.

Chukwuani and Tavernier quickly changes the attack to the right. Now look at the gap between the goalkeeper and the defence, it's grown as Queen's have squeezed the ball. Suddenly, there is room to hit.

Because defending teams always tend squeeze up and then rush towards the goal in moments like this, the space for crossers is often at the back of the goal or in the cutback zone.

That means you don't want a delivery like this - Max Aarons hitting the bodies instead of the space, where Diomande was waiting for a cutback, in the recent 0-0 draw with Hibs.

You do want this type of delivery - Rommens playing into the space as Kilmarnock defenders are sucked towards their goal.

On this occasion, as Queen's players rush to the front post and towards their goal, Antman does well to pick out Naderi at the back post, where Rangers have a three-vs-three they can exploit. Compared to the Rommens cross seconds before, the circumstances are far more favourtable to attack the ball.

RR (Image: RR)

Should you be getting overexcited about a win against Queen's Park? Not overly, but Rangers haven't made a habit of racking up scorelines like this, regardless of opposition in years gone by. Visibly,

Is this type of crossinf rocket science? No, but the best-coached teams do simple things well, and January arrivals feel as if they should beef Rangers up physically, boost their numerical depth and provide some better individual decision-making, especially Rommens and Skov Olsen, in the final third.

Rohl's first job to get Rangers back into the title race was to establish a base - now, it's about adding layers.

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