Steven Gerrard's Rangers should have started more aggressively - but Lyon's goals show they got their game plan right

In his first season, it was twice coming from behind away in Villarreal, 2019 saw a pulsating home win over Feyenoord earned through Sheyi Ojo’s long-range effort. Need you be reminded of Kemar Roofe’s ridiculous record-breaking strike in Belgium last year?

Within that context, yesterday’s 2-0 home defeat to Lyon felt all the more drab. The French side didn’t outplay Gerrard’s team but took their moments and displayed their quality.

They are a top-end side, with a Champions League and World Cup winner in defence and the core of a team who made it to the semi-finals of Europe’s elite competition just last year.

Regardless, the feeling for many leaving Ibrox would have that of dissatisfaction, coated with an irritable reality that had Rangers played to levels previously hit in Europe, they could have made last night far more uncomfortable for Peter Bosz' side.

Looking back on the match, what was their plan without the ball and how does it compare to preceding European ties?

1. How do the pressing numbers compare?

Rangers’ PPDA averaged at 11.79 last night, although the first-half numbers as seen above were far lower.

Passes per defensive action tells how aggressively a team presses, by measuring the number of passes a team ‘allows’ before attempting some form of a defensive duel.

The home side did limit Lyon who weren’t able to play through the compact shape and find pockets of space all that often. Both goals came from turnovers when the hosts were not set defensively, showing how dangerous Lyon were in offensive transition.

Equally, this is a team that has conceded goals to a high press this season. There was the opportunity to make them far more uncomfortable early on.

READ MORE: Rangers undone by fine margins as slick attacking side of last season fails to show once again - Joshua Barrie

So, how does that number compare to other matches against?

In the 2018/19 group stage, Rangers averaged a PPDA of 7.93 across their three home group stage matches. The next season that number rose to 9.08. Last season, it stood at 15.1.

Of course, the individual game states must be considered. Last season Rangers led in all three home ties and therefore sat to protect leads, while the lack of crowd could conceivably have impacted the intensity from both sides.

In the 18/19 season, they were only in front for around 10 minutes in all three home games, therefore they were nearly always chasing a lead.

However, there wasn’t the fast start that has been on show in a number of European games. Compare and contrast the above PPDA chart to the below matches.

Rangers vs Porto, 7/11/19

Rangers vs Young Boys, 12/12/19

Rangers vs Slavia Prague, 18/3/21

Rangers vs Malmo, 10/8/21

Post-match, Bosz himself admitted his team had started the game "a bit nervous" and needed a goal to settle the side. 

Within that context, it feels a slightly missed opportunity that the intensity in moments without the ball was not higher in those opening periods. 

However, as will be divulged, both goals demonstrate that Gerrard's team were right to be more conservative without the ball.

What were Rangers trying to do, and did it work?

In using those above examples, it’s also important to show the other side of the coin.

Against Benfica for example in a 2-2 draw, the Ibrox side recorded low PPDA numbers compared to above and picked their moments.

This appeared to be the plan again yesterday, something the inclusion of Lundstram, Aribo, Kamara and Davis would back up.

Let’s not forget that Gerrard admitted this was arguably the best team his side have faced together. It’s likely that instead of risking early gaps opening up, the coaching staff wanted to remain vigilant of the quality Lyon possessed and not open up too much.

After all, you saw what happened in moments of transitions when space was afforded.

“With all due respect, sometimes domestically you can give the ball away and you might get away with it, but not at Europa League level against high calibre players,” was Gerrard’s judgement of the two goals conceded.

His team sat comfortably in a mid-block, not vulnerable to balls in behind thanks to Leon Balogun dealing with the threat of Slimani. In this system, the team often wait for pressing 'triggers' to initiate attempting to win the ball back.

Take this example, Rangers are in their recognisable 4-3-3, facing the direction of the ball.

Kamara engages Gusto who plays the ball down the line.

Barisic here does well to marshall Paqueta backwards.

This backwards movement triggers the press. Kent blocks the pass to defence, Kamara screens the ball inside and Barisic stays tight to prevent a run down the line. Paqueta in this example does well to win a throw.

Jerome Boateng misplaced all of his seven long balls, often closed down by Kent, which appeared another passage of play in which the home side sought to inflict pressure.

READ MORE: Detailed Rangers player ratings from Ibrox as Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent fail to find creative spark

Both Kent and Aribo were more involved defensively as inside-forwards, again demonstrating the extra support needed to contain the space Lyon could play in.

Below, instead of Lundstram engaging the left-back, he stays deeper while Aribo shuttles across.

Gerrard seemingly wanted his team to pick and choose their moments offensively and really limit the areas Lyon could play within. 

How different a game it could have been if Kent's effort goes in and Ekambi is shown outside for his goal. These are the fine margins Rangers fell on the wrong side of.

Both goals demonstrate why the intended plan was to press in moments rather than try to overwhelm Lyon.

After losing the ball in a central area, the visiting side made the most of a turnover and the extra yards they had to play in with their opponents not quite covered defensively. 

That's a super finish, Karl Toko Ekambi! 💥

The Lyon star picks his spot to perfection at Ibrox! 👏#UEL pic.twitter.com/UTNDPHx793

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) September 16, 2021

Bosz said after the match: “I told them at half-time they had to change side every time as then it was going to be difficult for Rangers as they have to run a lot and will get tired and it will open up for you. That is what we saw second half."

This led to the second goal. Prior to the strike, the home side pressed up the pitch which led to the ability for Lyon to transition with more space, as was the case for the first goal.

Aribo lost the ball and Guimarães drove into space, before Emerson and Caqueret combined to find Auoar in the type of space that only opened up as the game became more end to end, as Bosz suggested.

Kent intercepted the ball before Auoar regained it, his shot would lead to Slimani finishing the move.

In summation, Rangers lost the game and didn't perform well, but the manner of goals they conceded perhaps contextualise and explain why they didn't match the pressing numbers previously seen on European nights.

They were right to recognise that if given space Lyon would cause the damage that they did.

A more aggressive opening 20 minutes could have unsettled the visitors as admitted by their manager, but equally could have surrendered too much open grass early in the game.