How Rangers have mirrored Arsenal's 'unpredictable' squad building tactic

“I think we have good players in, and the qualities they possess we can play many ways, depending on the opponent, how defensively they will play,” said the Dutchman. “I think we have enough qualities in the squad to rotate and make sure we have the best line-up against the opponent we are facing.”

The profile of players recruited over the last two months certainly attests to that. Van Bronckhorst laid the seeds for a flexible approach in his first six months in the job last season and, through careful recruitment this summer, the Dutchman has been able to add the players capable of executing his vision.

John Souttar’s comments during the pre-season training camp in Portugal also made for interesting reading. Asked what role that van Bronckhorst envisaged him playing at Ibrox, the Scotland international responded: “He’s just said to me what way he wants me to play, how he sees me playing - the style of play of the team, and in different situations and different games.”

Indeed, Souttar was recruited after an impressive campaign at Hearts playing on the right-hand side of a three-man defence. His appearances in a Scotland shirt have also come as part of a back three, with his tactical capacity and ability to adapt between formations likely to have been a big attraction for Ross Wilson and co.

Likewise, Ben Davies, another defensive recruit following the departure of Calvin Bassey, has extensive experience operating in both a three-man and four-man defensive system. The Englishman’s qualities reflect that versatility, comfortable driving into space with the ball while being able to defend when dragged out wide.

Ridvan Yilmaz became the final piece in the defensive jigsaw earlier this month and the Turkish international arrives with untapped potential as a more forward-minded wing-back. Valerien Ismael’s appointment as Besiktas boss towards the end of last season facilitated a switch to a three-man defensive system, with Yilmaz further liberated in an attacking sense from his previous conventional full-back role. In many ways, a wing-back role could both accentuate the 21-year-old’s offensive traits while negating his lack of height in defensive situations.

READ MORE: How will van Bronckhorst's tactical approach differ in his second season at Rangers?

The targeted recruitment of players who can fulfil roles as opposed to positions should allow Rangers to perform with formational flexibility, as illustrated below.

Further forward, Rabbi Matondo has been stationed on the right-hand side of attack in pre-season despite arriving off the back of an impressive campaign cutting in off the opposite flank for Cercle Brugge. Meanwhile, the Rangers Review highlighted the extra dimension that van Bronckhorst could unlock in Ryan Kent if he were to switch flanks more frequently.

Similarly, Malik Tillman may have been signed to fill the Joe Aribo void in attacking midfield, but he spent much of his formative years in the Bayern Munich youth ranks as a central striker. With his six-foot-one frame, the USA international has the physical capacity to replicate Aribo’s back-to-goal qualities in attack.

With Tom Lawrence also possessing the ability to play across the forward line, the front half of the pitch could represent any of the following.

Van Bronckhorst has also been looking in-house in his quest to construct a tactically versatile squad. Glen Kamara’s forays into the final third under Steven Gerrard were infrequent and typically led to nosebleeds but he has regularly been deployed in an advanced midfield role under the Dutchman.

READ MORE: Rangers' transfer business might see short term pain for long term gain - Stevie Clifford

The Finland international has been able to leverage his strength in possession of the ball in more crowded areas between the lines, culminating in his goal against RB Leipzig from the edge of the penalty area in the Europa League semi-final second leg at Ibrox last season. His three goals from February onwards last term represented the same number of goals that he had managed to register in the previous season-and-a-half in Rangers colours.

The desire to assemble a squad that can create unpredictability through formational flexibility is reflected across Europe. For instance, Mikel Arteta gave an interesting response when he was quizzed on his decision to move Granit Xhaka, a traditional deep-lying midfielder, into a more advanced No.8 role last season.

“Sometimes you have to take players from their comfort zone and open a different door to explore how the team will react [and] what the opposition will do when you do certain things,” said the Gunners boss. “Then it’s more unpredictable because if not, it’s pretty easy to prepare against the same opposition.”

Arsenal’s subsequent transfer business this summer has reflected this trend, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira all capable of playing in multiple areas across the pitch.

It isn't so much about altering your approach from game-to-game as a manager, but more about being able to adapt in-game to the defensive challenges that the opposition poses.

Rangers will face a mix of zonal and man-orientated defensive systems both domestically and on the continent and it’s important that opponents are not afforded the opportunity to devise a consistent way to frustrate van Bronckhorst’s side.

Coaches have typically strived over the years to boast two good players in every position, but recent years have seen a gradual shift towards having a good player capable of playing in two positions.

The success of van Bronckhorst’s ideas will rest on his players’ ability to play to their potential, but you certainly cannot accuse the Dutchman of lacking a coherent strategy in his recruitment this summer.