WHILE the attentions of all involved at Rangers were gradually shifting towards Thursday’s Europa League semi-final on Saturday, a 3-1 win against Motherwell boasts plenty of encouragement.
The visitors had more of the ball, a greater quality of chances and a higher pass completion despite Leon Balogun’s red card before the half-hour mark.
Aside from the obvious boost that comes with winning when reduced to 10 men, Giovanni van Bronckhorst likely saw sufficient evidence of the way forward without Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos.
His team lacked the presence of a target man to act as the attacking pivot midfielders could play off. When reduced to 10, his decision to move Fashion Sakala to a more accustomed wide left role proved decisive.
Looking at the team’s first-half pass map demonstrates this point. Sakala was constantly trying to drift wide and attack from outside to in, however, this proved difficult playing with his back to goal and a defender tight to his back.
Alongside Amad Diallo, the Zambian was his side’s most dangerous player before the interval and the pair would’ve opened the scoring if not for Jake Carroll’s block on the line.
READ MORE: Giovani van Bronckhorst’s Rangers tinkering allows Scott Wright and Fashion Sakala to shine
The below second-half pass map shows Sakala isolated on the left-wing, starting from this position he was able to unleash inverted attacks which dictated the outcome. Additionally, notice Scott Wright played far wider in the second 45, while Scott Arfield also moved higher to play as a false No.9 in possession, having initially slotted into a left centre-midfield role following the dismissal.
Sakala assisted Wright’s goal and earned a penalty later on by making these cutting, infield runs through the heart of the opposition defence. His carry map clearly demonstrates a preference to attack in this direction.
The half-time shape change limited Motherwell’s passing options because Rangers sat off their two centre-backs and marked up the remaining eight outfielders. In their second-half pass map, that theme is clear; Rickie Lamie and Juhani Ojala exchanged 16 passes and there was a clear inability to bring attackers into play.
They ended the match with 0.52xG.
Comparatively, the visitors recorded 1.82xG, with the below map not including James Tavernier’s penalty.
The Ibrox side invited pressure and created space for Sakala to attack in the second 45. Their pressure map features predominant activity around the left-back spot, no pressure was applied centrally given they were a man down.
Rangers more than doubled their first-half chance creation following Saturday's interval and while the space Motherwell afforded in search of a winner deserves consideration, the statistic demonstrates a further tactical tweak that must follow the injuries to Roofe and Morelos.
Sakala is far from his best when playing with his back to goal, but proves undeniably effective whenever starting from his favoured left side. Is there an argument therefore to play the Zambian ahead of Borna Barisic, with Joe Aribo enacting the false No.9 role with the two-footed Kent fielded from the right?
Van Bronckhorst's tactical flexibility surely makes this adaptation a viable option.
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