MUCH like the trip to face Ajax, last night was a lesson in the frailties of competing at the top of European football for Rangers.
One ball over the top, one mistimed challenge from James Sands and the platform they’d built unravelled. It may have taken three attempts from the penalty spot for Napoli to beat Allan McGregor but once ahead the Italians clinically picked their hosts apart, toying with an outnumbered defence and attacking unforgivingly into acres of space.
By the time Tanguy Ndombele made it three the match had lost all resemblance of its first-half competitiveness. There were flavours of classic Ibrox nights at points; Ryan Kent beating two men on the left but crossing marginally behind James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos heading around the post so early on, periods of ascendency coming close to returning a goal and moments in which the stadium genuinely rocked. By the end, the absence of any visiting supporters saw Napoli wheel away three times celebrating in the quiet south-Glasgow air.
That’s not to say Rangers simply folded after going a man down just before the hour. In the short term, nothing could be further from the truth.
Some moments in football require a look around to check what you’ve just seen is real. A double penalty save in two minutes from McGregor was one such moment. The veteran goalkeeper twice sprung to his right, once diving high and the other low, to keep parity when facing Piotr Zielinski’s spot-kicks.
Remarkably they stayed level until referee Antonio Lahoz pointed to the spot again. Third time around was third time lucky as Matteo Politano took his turn and hit the net.
The double save was not only a reminder of McGregor’s capabilities but indicative of the entire occasion. Here was a Rangers team featuring no new summer signings, doing what they’d done before and turning up on a European night at Ibrox. Where all the qualities lacking in recent outings (desire, tenacity and aggression) are written on the tin. After successive defeats and the unrelenting criticism such performances merit, it was needed.
The 11 picked by Giovanni van Bronckhorst were combative and competed admirably with the game 11-versus-11. Luciano Spalletti referenced the “force of energy” Ibrox offers its players during a pre-match press conference while admitting the circumstance Rangers approached the game with, off the back of such bruising losses, could make life more difficult for his team. He was right, a rendition of God Save The King roused the crowd and before one minute was on the clock, Morelos was reminding everyone he was back.
Making his first start since suffering that long-term injury last season the Colombian made such a difference. Sheer physicality and presence regularly offered his side an escape route forwards. Even when duels weren’t going his way some sort of contact with the ball stopped the visiting defence from winning individual battles. Within that first minute he should’ve scored from a Tavernier cross.
Van Bronckhorst had spoken in defence of his philosophy the day prior and although opting to start with a back five, he didn’t stray far from previous European principles. Opting for wing-backs to try and counter the threat of wide overloads which have proved so costly recently, he constantly cajoled Borna Barisic tighter to Politano urging immediate engagement to appease a baying crowd. The Dutchman wanted his team to play aggressively against the supremely technical Serie A side paying visit to Ibrox and by the break his team had arguably shaded attacking moments. At goal-kicks, they went man-for-man and pressed aggressively.
“The Rangers fans are right on top of you and it feels like they are on the pitch with you,” Spaletti said.
“We were lucky as they had more danger in the penalty areas before the first goal.”
And then one ball over the top led to Sands’ dismissal and despite McGregor’s magic, the Italian tide could not be tempered.
Van Bronckhorst got the performance he needed. A response after two showings so far from the required standard. By his own admission, Rangers were far improved from their meeting with Ajax. However, the fact no summer signings started the match poses real questions about recruitment.
“I always pick the 11 that I think will win the game,” the manager said when quizzed after the game.
“I don’t pick an 11 and think ‘I’ll put three new players in with four who have been here for 10 years’ it doesn’t work like that. I have two eyes, I can see the performances, how the players train. Eventually, I don’t look at new signings or players who have been here for a number of years, I just pick the best 11 for the game.”
Of the 11 chosen last night, eight started against UFA in the Europa League qualifiers five seasons ago. Nine were signed in 2019 or earlier. The team’s best midfielder, John Lundstram, again played in defence with Ben Davies, seemingly Connor Goldson’s long-term centre-back partner when signed from Liverpool this summer, on the bench. The midfield trio had an average age of 33.
It quickly became apparent this summer that there would be no rebuild, but there was supposed to be a refresh. The money spent in the summer must impact the starting 11 soon to justify that claim.
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