Why Michael Beale's Rangers playmaker recall will define season

Sometimes we get caught up in determining play style with formations, such as the aesthetic differences between 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 and how one is more attacking than the other, based on the number of central strikers.

In Beale’s case, I think philosophy is much more nuanced than that, especially as it relates to how his Rangers team will build up attacks. There’s a significant body of evidence to suggest Beale will return to a more progressive build-up, one that cuts through the opponent rather than using long passes to go direct, a strategy that had become all too familiar under Van Bronckhorst in the final throws of his time in charge.

The reinstatement of a true deep-lying playmaker will therefore be crucial, given it has such a seismic impact on attacking output if performed correctly.

What are the roles and functions of the Deep Lying Playmaker?

The deep-lying playmaker (or DLP for short) often gets viewed through a defensive lens, given the position’s proximity to the back line. While the defensive workload of the DLP has evolved in the modern era, their primary role and function is to begin attacks after the ball exits the back line.

DLP’s are the segway between a simple pass forward, either from a centre-back or a goalkeeper, before transitioning play into an attack inside the final third. When play is moved further up the field the DLP also acts as the pivot point in switching the point of attack, using the gaps in the opponent's structure to restart the move in a new direction.

Where and how are they used?

Positioned at the base of midfield, the DLP must quickly scan the areas in front of them prior to receiving the ball, essentially to maximize the central portion of the field and elongate the space they have in which to be creative.

The top DLP’s use the positioning of their central forward as a guide when deciding where best to move prior to collecting the ball from the back line. In this graphic we see how they have shifted to the right-hand side, complementing the movement of the target striker who has peeled off onto the opposition right centre-back.

It’s in this area that they can be so impactful when combining with midfield teammates, not only by playing penetrative passes but also by assisting with the removal of opposition midfielders who step forward to press the ball.

During Beale’s previous time at the club, we saw lots of creative movements similar to the graphic below. One, in particular, was the use of a split DLP role between Ryan Jack and Glen Kamara, both of whom would alternate moving into a wide position, taking up the role of a pseudo-full-back. This not only allowed the actual full-back to move forward into an advanced wide position but also opened a diagonal passing lane that led directly into Morelos' feet.

What technical qualities are required to be successful?

First and foremost, the DLP must display a sound level of awareness when collecting possession, primarily as any turnover may result in an opposition attack that only has two central defenders separating them from a run-in on goal.

Receiving a pass with pressure from behind is a situation that midfielders up and down the country face on a weekly basis, yet few have the ability to control the ball and evade pressure while advancing play all in the same move. Therefore, any player who wishes to be successful in the DLP role must possess a high level of technical ability.

Beyond this, they should also display good body positioning, typically on the half-turn with their back facing the sideline. This gives the player a more balanced stance in which to protect the ball from opposition pressure, ensuring the subsequent touch is an attacking one. The open body position also provides the player with an opportunity to scan more of the field, swivelling their head back and forth as they absolve in the ever-evolving situation around them.

Passing range is something all midfielders require, but the range specific to a quality creator is the pace at which they put on the ball. When spreading play wide there is a spin applied that rolls in front of the full-back, allowing them to move onto the ball and attack the flank. Whereas a low-driven pass into the striker has to be struck with a flat technique that doesn’t add any extra spin to the ball, giving the forward the ability to re-direct the attack with a single touch given all the pace has already been applied.

Further to the specific passing technique is that of managing tempo, which is derived from the length of passes and in which direction they are travelled. DLP’s usually perform shorter passes in the main, putting their foot on the ball and rolling back possession with the centre-backs whenever play needs to settle, and probing forward passes into the attacking midfield or striker should the attack need to move through the gears. This judgement call is usually a result of a subconscious litmus test the player has undertaken when assessing what is best to manage the overall play. Experience can play some part in this, mainly because the player is taking in factors such as game state, time in the game, and overall mental condition, which players need to regain composure, which players can make an individual impact.

Frenkie De Jong is potentially the best example of an elite-level DLP, a player who thinks so far ahead he baits the interaction of pressure before easing past his opponent with a cunning drop of the shoulder or a quick shimmy of his hips. Given it would likely take the selling of Ibrox Stadium and a master of hypnosis to facilitate the transfer of De Jong to Govan, let’s take a look at those within the squad and assess whether they are capable of fulfilling this role within Beale’s new-look side.

Who Should He Pick to Play There?

John Lundstram

While Lundstram is a very competent central midfielder, I’m not entirely sold on him becoming the long-term creative force at the base of Rangers midfield.

He has played in this position under Van Bronckhorst, but we must remember that this was in a system that used the deep-lying midfielder to bypass the opposition press with direct diagonal passes to players in high and wide positions.

In a Beale side that is focused on ball progression through the thirds, I’m unsure if Lundstram has the tactical awareness and patience to work in such tight spaces, moving off the shoulder of pressure before threading intricate through passes to inside forwards or advanced midfielders.

When we consider his effectiveness in making penetrative forward runs, allied with his almost sixth-sense ability to snuff out counterattacks before they move out of first gear, perhaps Lundstram would be better served in a more advanced midfield role.

Ryan Jack or Glen Kamara

Much in the same way that Lundstram has been drafted into a deeper midfield position in the past, both Jack and Kamara have done so under a variety of guises.

Kamara began life under Van Bronckhorst as a single pivot, which brought with it very mixed results. He is a player with a very high technical base, but unfortunately, a lack of awareness with his back to pressure has yielded some moments that have led to opposition goals. This typically occurs when a player doesn’t scan enough of the play behind them, or is more comfortable taking his first touch forward with the outside of his foot instead of allowing the ball to roll across him into his back foot.

Ryan Jack is of a similar mould to Lundstram in that he does his best work while facing forward. His ability to carry the ball in transition is especially impressive, at times overshadowing perhaps his biggest weakness which is body angle when receiving the ball. Going back to his days under Caixinha as the deeper midfielder in a 4-4-2, Jack struggles to maintain distances between the centre-backs and the opposition line of pressure. As such he can, at times, pick up the ball by dropping too deep and in front of the press, or when receiving play higher he does so with his shoulders facing the back line and must play a safe pass back again as pressure has prevented him from turning.

Steven Davis

Davis made this position his own under Gerrard, bossing the central midfield with poise, grace, and elegance. He is probably the most likely candidate to reassume the role, given he embodies all the attacking qualities we have mentioned in the piece thus far. Yet his inconsistent selection under Van Bronckhorst, albeit for a role that contrasts with what Beale would likely require, could lead to some questions over his match sharpness and general fitness levels. Only the performance staff at Ibrox could answer whether his overall athletic levels have dropped massively in the last twelve months, which given his age you’d be forgiven for assuming that they had. But, if Beale can protect him with supporting midfielders, perhaps Davis' reinstatement to the first team could be the antidote to a chronic lack of central creativity.

Charlie McCann

While first-team opportunities have been few and far between this season, McCann would appear, to me at least, as the natural successor to Davis in the DLP role and someone that could have an outside chance of making an impact this season. What impressed me most in the short glimpses we witnessed, is his ability to receive the ball and move forward quickly anywhere across the width of the park. It’s like he possesses the amalgamation of Jack’s progressive dribbling and Davis’ neat pass selection, all with a youthful exuberance that allows him to shuttle around the field with more energy.

Conclusion 

The selection of this midfield position will be an important one for Beale should he return to a familiar 4-3-3, as it sets the tone as to who is basically orchestrating the team’s attack play. While there will be others who feature more prominently in the final throws of an attacking move, it’s those who facilitate its creation that will be defining of the system’s success. Let’s hope for this season’s sake that we see a greater focus on the partnerships in midfield, allowing the side to gain momentum right from the opening match of Beale’s era.

Even if new recruits are to be brought into the club in the January window, so much of our frustrations have been the result of a lack of creative identity that foreshadowed lots of rigid positions working independently of each other. Perhaps a return to specific roles that work in service of and compliment eachother is the key to unlocking the potential of this side.

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