A LITTLE known scientist named Albert Einstein is quoted as having said “the measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”
Admittedly, football tactics were unlikely the topic that provoked this particular opinion, but his point is transferrable. Not dissimilar from the suggestion that “insanity is doing the same thing while expecting a different result,” he suggests that change is not only important but recommended.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Rangers career to this point can be neatly divided into post and pre the 2nd of February when his team suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Celtic. Since, he’s changed the structure of his midfield to play with two No.6s instead of one and approached meetings with Ange Postecoglou in a far more aggressive manner.
In a 2-1 defeat last month the template for victory was established, only for individual errors and cracks in the defensive structure to show. Those ailments were rectified at Hampden as a bold man-marking system adapted the previously-established blueprint. Yesterday’s 1-1 draw in Glasgow’s East End featured further tweaks and alterations.
Playing without a recognised striker and knowing that back at Parkhead, Rangers would have to weather the storm in periods, van Bronckhorst was forced to tinker with his tactical set-up once more to ensure no repeat of his last visit; when a perplexing defensive set-up provided Celtic with the perfect attacking environment.
Working with the limitations of a goalkeeper not known for his kicking ability and without Alfredo Morelos to centre attacks around, Rangers went over the Celtic press rather than through it.
Only 73 percent of their passes reached the intended target, the lowest tally of their domestic campaign and well shy of an 83 percent league average.
When play slowed, Fashion Sakala provided an aerial target on the right flank.
However, when play was stretched, Rangers targeted the left-hand side after overloading the right, a key theme of the van Bronckhorst era.
Their pass map shows a cluster of bodies on the right, with only Ryan Kent and Borna Barisic wide left.
They were trying to use Celtic’s aggression against them, given Postecoglou’s side press in numbers and with an intensity that makes playing through the pitch a risky ploy. Without Jon McLaughlin, who offered a safety net in possession during the semi-final win last month, such a route forward was untenable.
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Last time at Parkhead, 21 percent of Allan McGregor’s passes were high, yesterday that number doubled. A look at his pass map from the match in February compared to Sunday’s match shows a trend. In the first game, he was kicking erratically under pressure, in the second he had two instructions; clip the ball towards the right-sided trio of Sakala, James Tavernier and Joe Aribo, or switch quickly to the left if the Celtic defence is stretched.
Here’s an example early on. Rangers have a throw-in inside the opposition half, their decision to go back is not negative, because within a handful of passes Kent is bursting into the penalty box.
John Lundstram and Connor Goldson both play backwards as the hosts press and move their defensive line up the pitch.
Neither centre-back shows for the ball when it’s played to McGregor, he eats up a couple of seconds to coax the opposition forward prior to hitting a diagonal in the direction of Kent.
With the ball mid-air, Celtic’s defence is nearly at the halfway line and as Kent receives the ball, he has isolated his man with acres of space to attack.
In the end Kent’s own teammate, Barisic, is responsible for stemming the flow.
Celtic seemed to adjust quickly, however, a direct route over the hosts' front line did stem their intensity. Their heat map shows a lack of pressure in the opposition half.
Compare that to the 3-0 reverse earlier in the year, when they were far more active higher up the pitch.
During that game, possession was constantly wasted by the goalkeeper. The selection of Amad Diallo on the right of the front three was a clear indication that long balls weren’t deliberately on the agenda.
Celtic are a strong domestic side, something 28 league games unbeaten demonstrates. The well-timed rotations down either flank, which lead to their goal, opens up domestic defences again and again.
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With Greg Taylor on the ball, Sakala fails to track the run of Callum McGregor, leaving Tavernier with two men to mark. Below, the captain, arm aloft, seems to be passing on Daizen Maeda onto Goldson.
However, both players are caught between their men which allows Maeda the run on Goldson, before crossing for Jota to open the scoring.
So often in February, Rangers’ inability to get the ball up the park allowed Celtic to start attacks of a similar nature. Yesterday, by not overplaying in their own half and then marking up aggressively whenever the ball was played forward, they stunted the attacking rhythm of Postecoglou’s side.
One way to show this is the distribution of centre-back pairing Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers. Their respective pass maps from the match in February demonstrate two key trends, passes across the pitch to one another and angled balls out to either wing, triggering the aforementioned attacking rotations.
Crucially, yesterday’s pass maps show no repeat of those successful angled passes into wide areas.
Aribo marked Carter-Vickers and Starfelt’s options were limited with Lundstram marshalling Reo Hatate and Sakala pinning Taylor.
One final point of differentiation worth noting was found on the left side. A defining image of the 3-0 defeat was Barisic’s individual performance, so often his confidence looked shot during the first half and without passing options, he simply ran backwards.
The inclusion of an extra midfielder this time around, one of the changes van Bronckhorst made following his first Old Firm, changed this. Below, see Steven Davis appear in a position that was vacant last time out to recycle possession and keep Rangers in the attacking phase.
Often, a team renowned for their pressing would use a low opposition pass percentage as vindication of their work. And while it would be extreme to say Rangers would've been happy to settle for one in every four passes going astray, their game plan worked.
Van Bronckhorst's approach differed greatly from the previous trip East. He was able to strip Celtic of control and offer his side a route up the pitch, as he has done throughout his time in Glasgow, showing a clear ability to change.
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