How clinical Rangers dismantled St Johnstone with top drawer finishing

The Light Blues worked hard to break down the Saints resistance with all four goals being shared around the team.

If we analyse the StatsBomb Data Match Report, we can come to the conclusion this was as comfortable a victory as we’re likely to see.

As expected, Rangers dominate pretty much every metric and what will please Giovanni van Bronckhorst is the overperformance when it comes to the xG (expected goals).

It stood at 1.93 compared to the Perth side’s paltry 0.54 so to score four goals without reply will be encouraging.

Four goals from 24 shots is a good conversion rate and similarly, Jon McLaughlin was a virtual spectator having only been called into action once to save a long-range effort from Graham Carey.

The Rangers boss commented on his team’s clinical approach in front of goal in his post-match press conference. He said: “For me, what we have to do a lot better this year is not keep teams in the game. We have to do that. That’s what I’m really pleased with our desire today.

“We have players who can score goals now from all areas. Antonio is a striker, Malik is scoring from midfield, Tom Lawrence is scoring goals and the contribution of Scott Arfield and Rabbi Matondo. Our intention up front and all over is to create chances and be lethal.”

If we take a closer look at each individual goal, Malik Tillman netted his second goal in as many games, again another terrific leap to nod Rangers ahead on 32 minutes. The xG of 0.15 tells us it wasn’t an easy finish but the young American is proving to be very useful in the air.

Rangers were made to wait until the 62 minute to notch the second and it was Croatian striker Antonio Colak’s third goal in as many games. He displayed great control and balance to get the ball into a shooting position from Rabbi Matondo’s tackle/assist before slotting the ball in the corner.

Again the quality of the strike can be quantified when we look at the xG. Before the strike, it was 0.13 but the shot's accuracy propels it to 0.37.

It’s a great start to his Rangers career and you can’t help but think there are plenty more goals to come.

Goal number three would follow on the 80th minute with substitute Scott Arfield getting in on the act. Again, Matondo was the provider after latching onto a perfectly weighted Ryan Jack pass before cutting the ball back to the 33-year-old to dispatch home. Once more, if we take a look at the xG, it increases from 0.55 to 0.99 as soon as Arfield strikes the ball which tells you it was a certain goal as soon as his boot made contact with the ball.

Arfield turned provided for the fourth as Tom Lawrence rounded off the afternoon with a calm volley from close range but it wasn’t as easy as the former Derby skipper made it look. The xG before Lawrence swung a boot at the ball was 0.25 but the accuracy of the finish meant it was always destined for the back of the net as it recorded a 0.98 score.

In terms of the passing network, Rangers may have dominated possession and recorded 414 more complete passes than their opponents but, as we can see, there is a marked improvement in the second half compared to the opening 45 minutes.

Jack, Matondo and Arfield exerted more influence on the game and played a significant role in the victory.

Rangers couldn’t have asked for better preparation heading into Tuesday night’s European showdown with PSV Eindhoven. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men will no doubt look to be far more expansive than what we’ve witnessed from both Callum Davidson’s St Johnstone and Derek McInnes’ Kilmarnock but, as we’ve seen many times in the past, that will suit Rangers down to the ground.