Rangers' full back options and how Nathan Patterson and Calvin Bassey will fit in - Blair Newman

Now in his fourth year as Rangers manager, his squad looks stronger than ever before. That means difficult decisions have to be made regarding who starts and who doesn’t. Right now, full-back is among the strongest areas in the whole squad, with four players challenging for two starting positions.

James Tavernier, the club captain, and Borna Barisic are the current first-choice right and left-back, but they are being pushed hard by younger understudies. Nathan Patterson enjoyed a fast rise to prominence last season, one that left many wondering how Gerrard will fit him and Tavernier into the same team. Calvin Bassey settled in quickly following his move from Leicester last summer, and his showing against Livingston at the weekend means Barisic’s place in the line-up isn’t quite as certain as it previously was.

The good news for Gerrard is that the four players are stylistically different, with their own strengths, and that means he can legitimately make a case for rotating them at various points in the season. There is also the possibility for partnerships between the full-backs on each side, with the more versatile options taking up a new role, or for a slight tweak of the system.

Comparisons: Tavernier v Patterson and Barisic v Bassey

On the right, Tavernier is one of the best crossers of a ball Rangers have had in recent memory, particularly from withdrawn positions. He can hit the ‘corridor of uncertainty' between goalkeepers and defenders with an early whipped cross, or go around the outside from closer to the by-line. When it comes to the final ball, he has more accuracy and variety than Patterson, his understudy. He’s also a consistent goal threat, occasionally hitting the box to finish crosses from the other side.

Patterson may not yet have the consistency of cross or goal threat that Tavernier brings to the table. But he does have more by way of athletic attributes, particularly in that initial burst of pace to go past a defender. In one-versus-ones, he can solve the problem on his own, while Tavernier is more comfortable with support to combine his way through.

On the left, Barisic is similar to Tavernier in that he provides excellent delivery from wide. Whether it’s playing the early cross, or hitting the by-line and crossing on the run, he is a consistent supplier of shooting opportunities. He also prefers to combine with teammates than go it alone, but he is not as multi-faceted as Tavernier. Rarely will you see him venturing infield, and rarer still will you see him hitting the penalty box to attack a ball in from the opposite wing.

Bassey is more effective 1v1 than Barisic, primarily because of his strength. He’s tougher to knock off the ball and uses his body well to escape pressure or draw fouls.

This quality is also helpful for him as a defender. He relishes the physical battle, challenging opponents to test his speed before obstructing them. However, while Barisic’s crosses are pinpoint, Bassey’s are more wayward. Too often he fails to beat the first man.

Can they work together? Possible roles and systems

After the pre-season friendly against Arsenal, there was some speculation that Gerrard would try to work Tavernier and Patterson into the same starting line-up by changing Tavernier’s role. Considering the quality of his final ball, the timing of his runs, and his goalscoring threat, it isn’t too difficult to imagine him playing in one of the box-to-box/attacking midfield positions. However, the arrival of John Lundstram to rival Joe Aribo and Scott Arfield, plus the recent experimentation with Ianis Hagi in that role, put paid to that idea.

A more realistic scenario would be Patterson’s use as an out-and-out winger in front of Tavernier. Taking out of one of the front three could be an option when Rangers feel they need extra defensive cover on that side. Alternatively, there could be a change to a back three, with Tavernier surging forward inside and Patterson providing width outside of him.

The back three would also be an easy route into playing both Bassey and Barisic. Bassey was seen as a future centre-back during his time with Leicester before his transformation into a marauding left-back at Rangers. It’s feasible he could play outside left of the back three, with Barisic on the flank as wing-back.

Tactically, much of Rangers’ success comes from finding a system that suits all of their players. The 4-3-3 and its narrow, fluid frontline is now their expected setup every week. But it would be wrong to think of Gerrard as inflexible. He changed formation in his first season and could do so again, particularly to surprise domestic opponents who may be planning specifically to thwart the 4-3-3.

Like-for-like rotation for specific situations

As intriguing as the idea of new formations and roles are, they are just that: ideas. It will take something more concrete to make Gerrard abandon a winning system. Patterson and Bassey need to make themselves borderline un-droppable. They will get opportunities to do that, though, especially over a long, gruelling season where Rangers are trying to compete on three or four fronts. And like-for-like rotation of the full-back options could be done for tactical reasons.

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Tavernier and Barisic are established, and they’re also similar in many ways. Yes, their crossing is a serious weapon. But it’s also somewhat predictable. Opponents know what they are up against now. Some may have some success by showing Rangers wide, accepting the crossing threat, but loading up on big, strong centre-backs who take pleasure in defending their box. Braver opposition may try to eliminate the problem earlier and defend with wing-backs who get out quickly to close Tavernier and Barisic, denying them room to cross and challenging them to a 1v1 take-on.

It is in those situations, against ultra-compact defences or facing aggressive pressure on the wings, that Gerrard could look to his alternates. Patterson is the most obvious candidate to come in, with his acceleration and ability to dribble in or outside enabling him to get past man-to-man pressure and take defenders out of the game.

Bassey could offer more on the dribble than Barisic on the left, though another route in may be when Gerrard wants to balance his full-backs – Jose Mourinho style – for particularly tough midweek games. The 4-3-3 system has dominated domestic opposition, but some European opponents may have too much firepower to play with advanced full-backs on both sides.

In this situation, Bassey could act as the more defensive full-back, staying closer to Connor Goldson and Filip Helander to reduce space in the channels and snuff out counters. With his speed, strength and commitment, he may offer more defensively than Barisic. Tavernier would then be able to play with the same attacking freedom, running the flank, offering for the switch of play from Steven Davis, and getting into dangerous positions to play those devastating crosses of his.

Gerrard recently said that he wishes he was allowed to name more substitutes to his bench. Evidently, he’d like greater scope to pick and choose from the wide variety of options he has within his squad. Patterson and Bassey no doubt share that frustration, but they will get more opportunities to shine when the fixture list starts to congest and the opposition becomes more difficult.