How Calvin Bassey's central defensive role helps Rangers realise Pep Guardiola mantra

There was a reshuffling in the pecking order in the squad, with several players previously overlooked by Gerrard handed a chance. Positions were tweaked, roles were redefined. Although the Dutchman’s debut campaign ended in disappointment on the league front, there were several interesting tactical changes.

For instance, much has been written on the repurposed role of Connor Goldson in possession under van Bronckhorst in recent months. The 29-year-old has been afforded greater responsibility on the ball, decreasing his volume of shorter passes and hitting new areas of the pitch with his imperious long-range distribution.

However, there has been less discussion surrounding the role of the left-sided central defender. The position was shared by Calvin Bassey and Leon Balogun under van Bronckhorst last term – the latter has now departed the club – and it was presumed that Bassey’s ball-carrying ability would translate seamlessly into the role.

Yet it has been the fundamental aspects of the Nigerian’s role that has allowed Goldson to succeed in possession. By virtue of being left-footed, Bassey aids Rangers’ build-up play immensely when deployed centrally in a four-man defence.

Although the resources at the Dutchman’s disposal eventually seen him scale back on his pledge to re-introduce wide wingers, many of the principles remained the same last season.

Van Bronckhorst wants the width of his side to be supplied by the wingers who, by virtue of being deployed higher up the pitch, can hog the touchline with greater regularity than the attacking full-backs utilised by Steven Gerrard.

This is where the merits of a balanced central defensive partnership are accentuated, with a combination of a left and right-footed player on their favoured side helping to open up the pitch and make Rangers’ attacking threats on both flanks more accessible.

Fundamentally, it also prevents opponents from shutting down one side of the pitch when they are defending against Rangers.

The example below from the 1-0 win over Livingston in the second half of last season offers a neat illustration. As the ball is moved across to Bassey from Goldson, the Livingston forward arcs his run to block off the return pass to the Englishman.

The obvious pass for Bassey is to move the ball wide to Borna Barisic in the full-back position. Indeed, if the Nigerian was right-footed it would appear his only passing option given the angle.

However, Bassey can easily stride forward with the ball, biding his time for a pass to become open. It eventually does when Fashion Sakala Jr. drops into space.

The Nigerian can play vertically into his teammate on the left-hand side of the pitch because he’s distributing the ball with his left foot. A right-footer, in contrast, would not be presented with the same angle.

In January 2020 after a narrow away win at Sheffield United, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was quizzed on the importance of central defender Aymeric Laporte after the Spain international had returned from a lengthy injury lay-off. Expecting a response on the player’s defensive qualities, Guardiola waxed lyrical about his ability in possession.

“He has something that we don’t otherwise have in the squad - his left foot in a central defender,” said the Spaniard. “There are many actions to build up - to make our play quicker, better - but we can’t do them. Not because the other players are not good but because Laporte is the only left-footed central defender.”

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Guardiola’s protégée, former Rangers midfielder and current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, also subscribes to theory that central defensive partnerships require a certain combination. Indeed, when the Gunners signed Brazilian central defender Gabriel from Lille in the summer of 2020, Arteta immediately referenced the “balance” the defender would bring to his side in possession. Indeed, it’s that very quality that underpins van Bronckhorst’s selection of Bassey in central defence.

It was interesting to note last season the extent to which Ryan Kent’s reception volume was dictated by the personnel on the left side of central defence. For example, when Balogun was selected alongside Goldson in central defence in the 5-0 win over Hearts in February, the 25-year-old recorded his joint-second lowest receptions total under van Bronckhorst in the league (excluding Old Firm games). Meanwhile, the winger registered just 25 receptions in the 1-0 win over St. Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in March with the same personnel in defence, his fifth lowest total under the Dutchman. That figure rose back above his season average three days later in the 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Ibrox.

The Rangers Review analysed the team’s control issues under van Bronckhorst recently, with the selection of a balanced central defensive pairing likely to go some way in addressing that problem. By being able to move the ball entirely on your terms – as a left footer on his favoured side helps achieve – Rangers are able to pass at a quicker tempo. Cheap turnovers, as illustrated in the example below, are also minimised.

With Balogun in possession, the yellow arrows represent the passes a left-footed player such as Bassey would typically execute.

However, the 34-year-old isn’t comfortable following through with a pass to Glen Kamara (highlighted) on his weaker side. Instead, he opts for the shorter pass into John Lundstram.

His pass is wayward, however, as he’s forced to arc the trajectory of the ball around the forward pressurising him from the right.

The ball is turned over and Braga can initiate an attack inside Rangers’ half.

The Gers’ second half collapse at home to Motherwell in February was also partly the product of the lack of balance in central defence. Lundstram was forced to fill in alongside Goldson in defence that afternoon, with the midfielder ceding possession in the lead up to the first of Motherwell’s two goals.

Again, the yellow arrows represent the passing options typically available for a left-footed player in this scenario.

The trajectory of Lundstram’s pass, however, naturally forces it closer to the Motherwell winger pressurising Bassey on the touchline.

The pass is intercepted before it reaches the Nigerian, as Motherwell spring forward and score from the resulting move.

Rangers were at their best under van Bronckhorst last season when they were able to provoke pressure from the opposition then transition into the space created between the defensive lines. Kent’s strike in the 2-0 win over St. Johnstone in December, for instance, underlined the side’s ability to circulate possession in deeper areas before springing in-behind the opposition with a sharp passing combination.

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By having a left and right-footed central defensive partnership, Rangers are able to circulate the ball with greater regularity.

The final two home games of last season offer an insight into the disparity in passing volume between partnerships. Two right-footed central defenders in Goldson and Leon King combined for 15 passes in the win over Dundee United at Ibrox, while the former and Bassey exchanged over double the number of passes in the victory over Ross County the following midweek.

It raises potential questions over John Souttar’s short-term role after arriving from Hearts on a pre-contract. Goldson is an immovable force on the right-hand side of central defence and, although Souttar is able to operate on the left-hand side, his right-footed tendencies could realistically undermine Rangers’ build-up.

Van Bronckhorst may view Bassey’s long-term future in central defence, with the Nigerian continuing to improve from a defensive standpoint alongside his in-possession qualities as a central presence.

Left-footed central defenders are a coveted possession in modern football, with Bassey’s reported price tag dictated as much by those market demands as the 22-year-old’s physical qualities.

For now, the Nigerian complements Goldson perfectly as van Bronckhorst continues to refine Rangers’ work in possession.