Why Rangers' lack of style is undermining 'win ugly' mantra - Joshua Barrie

Look back at Rangers’ most recent title win. From the first game of 2021 to the win over Livingston in March that sealed a 55th Championship, Steven Gerrard’s side won five of 10 games 1-0. Victories over St Johnstone and Kilmarnock during that stretch required outside-the-box strikes from Ianis Hagi and Ryan Jack to earn all three points. The point being, wins by a big margin will never be consistent throughout a whole league season.

The context of those victories was of course very different. That team were bearing down on imminent success and in a much healthier collective moment than the current contingent find themselves. While not without faults, the process of how the group were trying to reach their goal was clearer and more definable.

In short, that is why Giovanni van Bronckhorst is facing such criticism at present. Not only has he suffered consistent, heavy defeats in the last month, but the process he has implemented and the style he favours makes it harder to envisage eventual success. Even if theoretically, it remains very achievable based on the league standings. 

Rangers would very likely be joint-top of the table if not for John Lundstram’s dismissal against Hibs which led to a late leveller. An opinion that subsequent matches support. As it is, they trail Celtic by two points.

And yet, a scroll through Twitter yesterday would’ve made you think the table was lying.

In one sense it is. Celtic’s xG difference per 90 of 2.12 is far healthier than Rangers’ 1.00. Based on the chances they’re creating and conceding Ange Postecoglou’s men boast stronger underlying numbers.

Cynics may brand this to be a nonsensical argument because expected goals are merely an indicator. The key is in the name. Rangers have overperformed their xG considerably, scoring 24 open play goals from 16.36xG. So have their rivals incidentally but their 35 goals have come from a superior 26.38xG. The question is, how many times can van Bronckhorst’s side take maximum points from a game like yesterday, when they created just 0.8xG?

What is undermining the Dutchman at present is the product. People don’t know what Rangers’ style of play is and don’t like the distinguishing factors they do see. Complaints of a slow tempo and overreliance on long balls are totally legitimate on the back of Sunday's showing. Fans support a football team out of loyalty, but you can’t blame them for desiring style and entertainment concurrently. Especially when so many humbling defeats have been handed out in such quick succession.

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Those in the stands can accept that success takes time to build, but they need to see the blocks being put into place. Yes, the scar tissue of conceding seven goals in midweek plays into a performance like yesterday but complaints are not isolated to that 90 minutes alone.

The issues experienced early on in van Bronckhorst’s tenure away from home have continued to resurface. They look threatening and effective when playing into space, something Hearts afforded them plenty of in a recent 4-0 Tynecastle win. However, if tasked with setting the game’s tempo or breaking down an opponent when they can’t count on the pre-determined territorial dominance of a home match, chance creation takes a serious hit.

In five home matches this season, the side have averaged 2.07xG and 3.2 goals per 90. In five away matches, the numbers stand at 1.18 and 2.0.

How much stronger is yesterday’s showing when held up against the draw away at Aberdeen in early 2022? Results aside, are the underlying indicators travelling in a direction that will eventually spell success?

A look down the road is proof that managers need time. Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to successive eight-placed finishes and now has them top in mid-October. But he could fall back on a clear, understood and accepted style during tricky times. Pointing to the underlying trends if the overlying ones were unfavourable. Supporters could see the roadmap of travel.

If with foresight a league title could be guaranteed at the end of this season, this conversation would largely disperse. In a results-based business, results are the ultimate dictator. Points are being picked up and that cannot be ignored. But far too many humbling defeats go against the notion that wins will always arrive.

Van Bronckhorst is in need of performances just as much as results to get supporters to believe in his vision.

This piece is an extract from yesterday’s Rangers Insider newsletter, which is emailed out at 4pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Rangers Review team.

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