John Lundstram's dropping deep was key for Rangers in Ross County win

It was another step in the right direction for the side, with few chances handed to the opposition and three more points added in the midst of a demanding schedule.

Although Rangers’ own attacking moments weren’t all that regular, their goal was a well-worked, team-wide possession move. John Lundstram was the one who put the ball in the back of the net, but it was his flexible midfield role that helped to stretch the hosts' defence.

When a team is building out from the back they don't only need to move the ball forwards but move the opposition out of shape.

“I've noticed in the last two games that there isn't much space in the middle of the pitch for our No.10s, so we tried to stretch them [County] out with our centre-backs going wider and John coming down, just to get people facing forward and bringing the ball out,” Michael Beale explained after the game.

“When he drops down he can obviously go a little bit further with his passing. It was a key aspect to the first half, how many times we got Adam on a cross-field ball.”

Lundstram played 96 passes during the 1-0 win, including a number of diagonals over the top to Adam Devine. The youngster was constantly marauding forwards from left-back, taking advantage of space on the outside.

The Ibrox side played true to their circumstances yesterday, having travelled to Aberdeen and Dingwall for two matches in the same week with injuries still hampering the squad. Beale conceded post-match that his team didn't have much quality in the final third, but they were able to move through the thirds successfully for the match-winning goal.

As Ally Bain wrote for the Rangers Review when Beale’s appointment was confirmed, his deep-lying midfielder role differs significantly from Giovanni van Bronckhorst's.

There’s more emphasis on dictating play from deep, with midfielders dropping deep and full-backs pushing up.

READ MORE: Rangers looked more like a Michael Beale team in Dingwall

Look at the pass network from the first half yesterday, which charts the average position from which a player passes the ball. Lundstram is deeper than Devine, with the midfielder coming towards the ball and the full-back pushing high.

Here, he drops to receive from Connor Goldson before pinging a long pass into Devine.

The only goal of the game was a perfect example of Beale’s post-match comments. With Rangers “stretching the opposition” and getting into the final third.

Movement in the backline allows Goldson to "bring the ball out facing forwards" while Lundstram drops back.

Goldson and Glen Kamara combine to find Ryan Kent, who has dropped to become the free man in midfield. Notice on the right flank James Tavernier is free.

After Tavernier runs forward, Rangers hold possession around the penalty box moving it left and right. The right-back rotates inside and Fashion Sakala simultaneously drifts wide on the right.

It’s more off-ball movement from Tavernier and Lundstram that makes the difference from here, allowing the Liverpudlian a clear shot at goal from the edge of the area.

The goal's passing sequence shows the visitors moving the ball from left to right, probing for an opening, stretching their opponent’s defensive shape and capitalising.

On another day Rangers could've made their win more comfortable. Rabbi Matondo should have done better when one-on-one and Alfredo Morelos was unfortunate to see a shot deflect off him and over the bar rather than into the net.

Coincidently at the start of the week, Beale had referenced the importance of 1-0 wins. It's no bad thing to grind out the odd result if progress is evident. After two 3-2 comebacks, three points was the most important factor.