If Rangers did actually need to provide evidence that they can play and win games in front of crowds, the last two games is a compelling case for the jury.
In the tension and crackling atmosphere of an Old Firm game, Rangers were the steady hand against the nippy, attacking football of Celtic.
On Saturday, they followed that up by digging in and wrestling three points off St Johnstone. An incredibly ineffective first half was followed up with a Michael O'Halloran goal and an inevitable air of familiarity fell over the fans. A number of similarities to the Dundee United defeat were on show in this game.
Yet instead, going behind was the exact catalyst Rangers required. They pushed back hard, started to open up a compact St Johnstone and won a penalty soon after. A good old fashioned handbag-swinging session after the penalty didn’t dissuade Rangers and they continued to probe until James Tavernier rattled the back of the net with a stunner.
A lesser team would’ve shrunk when St Johnstone took the lead. Quite likely, a Rangers team of old would’ve shrunk. Yet on Saturday it was heartening to see the team take the setback in their stride and fight back to win.
READ MORE: Rangers' spark from adversity and the Joe Aribo adjustment that helped turn the tide
In among the noise and the fighting, one figure of calmness stood out and looked the most likely to create.
Joe Aribo came from Charlton with a big reputation. Rangers managed to sign him on a free, but the competition for his signature was intense. While he had only been tested at English League One level, his talent was evident and Rangers have reaped the rewards from this.
Aribo has slowly moved through the gears during his time at Ibrox, and now is his time to grab the league by the scruff of its neck and push on.
Now onto his third season at the club, his experience in Scottish football is paying off. Flashes of a great footballer were evident in his first term, the consistency improved in his title-winning season and the early signs from this one are positive.
Aribo’s performance in Perth was good without being spectacular, but he is always turning up in the right places. A prime example being the ball he slid into Tavernier who flashed it across the goal just beyond Morelos. He was able to evade pressure, just about staying on his feet and the idea and weight of the pass were perfect.
His involvement in Rangers’ play is terrific. A lot goes through him and his calmness on the ball is critical. Opposition defenders desperately try to keep him off his left foot but Joe’s clever use of his body means he is usually able to swivel on to his favoured side.
While it was inevitable a young and skilful player would find it challenging to adapt to the rough and tumble of Scottish football, an inability to find his best position has been the biggest hurdle.
Aribo has excelled on the right of the front three in Europe but he rarely features in that role domestically. His attacking threat is somewhat nullified when he has to play in a rigid, flat midfield three. Gerrard demands discipline from his trio in bigger domestic and European games. While Aribo can still play that role, it’s not the position he is at his most comfortable.
Aribo is a classic no.10 and over his time at Rangers, Gerrard has learned to loosen the shackles on one of his centre midfielders to allow him to push on, and Aribo fills that role perfectly. This is when he affects games, breaks the lines, and link up the play extremely well. When he gets on that left foot and drives at defenders, you always feel like something will happen. This is when he scores the goals that are currently filling his CV with an impressive range of finishes. Apart, of course, from the mazy run from left-back against Braga - that showed he’s capable of some magic from wherever he plays.
If Aribo stays fit, this can be his big season. That is a fairly big “if” however. Not that Aribo has had huge injury layoffs, but a few weeks’ out of the team seems to knock his confidence and set him back.
Aside from routine wins against Livingston and Ross County, Rangers’ problem this season looks to be scoring goals from open play. Aribo should be the one to make things tick, whether that be through attempts on goal himself or making the killer pass. He has both in his locker.
Gerrard is a manager who likes to coin phrases. This season it's “break the rules”. That’s what he wants his attacking players to do. When Aribo is on his game, the whole rule book can go out the window.
If Aribo can keep breaking the rules all season, there’s no doubting he’ll be very high up the Player of the Year voting.
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