Joe Aribo's absence and Rangers' overhit crosses: Analysing set piece struggles in Braga

“Also our set pieces, I think we had two or three set-pieces which we overhit. Normally you can get big chances in those moments so we have to make sure those aspects are better next week.”

The Gers boss was accurate in his estimation. Indeed, Rangers had six corners on the evening – as many as they did in the 3-0 win over Red Star Belgrade at Ibrox in the previous round – but only one led to an attempt at goal.

But why did Rangers generate such scant success from set-piece situations?

It’s firstly important to establish that Rangers were playing against a very commanding, proactive goalkeeper in Matheus for Braga.

READ MORE: Rangers edged xG in Braga as lack of quality in close-fought match laid bare

The 30-year-old is cut from the cloth of modern goalkeepers who are very comfortable behind high defensive lines in open play, but equally so in set-piece situations.

In the example below, Braga have set up with a high defensive line from a James Tavernier free-kick inside their own half.

As the Rangers captain is striding forward to deliver his free-kick, Matheus is already beginning to spring forward to collapse the space behind Braga’s defensive line.

Tavernier floats his cross towards Connor Goldson at the far post but, with limited pace on the delivery, Matheus can easily make up the ground to collect the ball.

The ability of the Braga goalkeeper to collect crosses influenced Rangers’ decision-making from set-piece situations throughout the evening.

If we take a closer look at the first overhit corner which van Bronckhorst highlighted post-match, Braga are set-up in a predominantly zonal marking system. However, it contains one major tweak.

The Portuguese side elected to go man-for-man with Rangers’ two central defenders in the centre of the penalty box.

READ MORE: Rangers edged xG in Braga as lack of quality in close-fought match laid bare

This was likely influenced by the ease in which Leon Balogun was allowed to score from a central position in a corner situation in the previous round against Red Star Belgrade for Rangers.

With the Gers’ two biggest set-piece threats being marshalled, it forced Tavernier to hit either the areas at the front or back post.

In this instance, he puts too much purchase on his corner towards John Lundstram at the far post.

A similar corner from the left also sailed long later in the half with the scoreline still level.

This time, Rangers' central defenders have joined Braga’s defensive line to create a cluster in front of the Braga goalkeeper.

However, reluctant to put deliveries on top of the commanding Matheus, Tavernier again elects to arrow his delivery towards the far post...

...Again, it is overhit.

It was a game where, with Joe Aribo reduced to a place on the substitutes bench, Rangers missed the Englishman’s front post flick-on routine.

Rangers have enjoyed great success from Aribo’s near-post runs at corners this season, with Alfredo Morelos’ goal against Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 underlining its merits.

Dortmund appear to have good coverage of the penalty area as they prepare to defend Tavernier’s corner.

However, Aribo makes a blindside run on Marco Reus at the near post. Similarly, Morelos begins to make his move round the back post.

The midfielder makes first contact from the delivery, flicking his header across goal where Morelos’ synchronised movement means he is in position to tap the ball into an empty net.

The goal underlined Rangers’ ability to circumvent central areas and still create high-quality opportunities from corners, which was absent from van Bronckhorst's side in Portugal.

READ MORE: It's hard to see Giovanni van Bronckhorst's Rangers identity and fans are already turning - Four Lads

In fact, it took until the fifth corner of the evening from the away side for a Rangers player to make first contact on a delivery, as Goldson fired a header wide late in the second half.

What is particularly interesting about the set-up from Braga is double coverage at the near post after Aribo’s introduction, with the Portuguese side keen not to become victim to another trademark flick-on from the midfielder.

However, with less coverage at the far post, this creates a 3v2 overload situation where Goldson is allowed to drift round the back unchecked.

Tavernier’s delivery is accurate, but Goldson can only meet his outswinging cross ten yards from goal, an area where Braga, already boasting an above-average goalkeeper, would be content to give up a headed opportunity.

The defender then appears to get caught in two minds, heading towards goal but also in the vicinity of Kemar Roofe and Aribo drifting in at the opposite side.

Both are visibly in an offside position. This is because Braga squeezed their defensive line up once they were content the corner was being met outside of a dangerous heading position.

It was a night of frustration on the attacking front for van Bronckhorst’s men, both from open play and in a set-piece situations.

Braga did their homework on the threat van Bronckhorst's men have posed from corners in the Europa League knockout stages, and they were backed up by a goalkeeper capable of commanding his area.

Coupled with the lack of quality on Tavernier’s deliveries, it reduced Rangers to just a single attempt from a set-piece over the course of the 90 minutes.

Van Bronckhorst is correct in his assessment that, if Rangers are to maximise their chances of reaching the last four next week, they must find an answer to the questions Braga posed at dead balls.