Rangers set pieces analysed: Michael Beale's key to league form uptick

Then Harry Watling, the club’s set-piece and development coach, will jump to his feet and bark out instructions.

Beale, like so many managers worldwide, understands the value of a set-piece specialist on his staff and the importance of maximising every opportunity to break down defences.

“I’m over the moon with that because it’s an area that we had to improve in. Harry does a lot of work with the boys,” he said following a 3-0 win against Hearts when two goals originated from set plays.

One of the games that immediately preceded Beale’s arrival, a 2-1 defeat away at St Johnstone, typified how poor Rangers had become attacking corners and free-kicks, posing a far reduced threat in comparison to previous seasons. Notably on that day they earned 20 corners and spare one Fashion Sakala header, never looked like scoring off any of them.

Since Beale’s arrival late last year, an upturn has been notable. In the Scottish Premiership per 90, Rangers’ set-piece xG has risen from 0.3xG to 0.47xG and their set-piece goals from 0.64 to 0.33 despite averaging slightly fewer shots.

In 15 league matches under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the side scored five set-piece goals, including one direct free-kick.

Looking at all shots generated from set-pieces, the lack of activity in the six-yard box stands out.

In 14 league matches under Beale, Rangers have scored nine set-piece goals, including three direct free-kicks.

Contrastingly, there is a far greater number of shots around the six-yard box and even though Rangers have overperformed their xG, that largely owes to three free-kick goals from the edge of the box.

On the basis of corners alone, the specific focus of this article, the Ibrox side’s xG per 90 has almost doubled from 0.2 to 0.36.

Taking them from the fourth-highest total in the league under Van Bronckhrost…

To the highest since Beale arrived…

So, what’s changed to harbour better results?

Variation of delivery

Rangers took 123 corners under Van Bronckhorst in the league before he was sacked in November. 76 percent of those were outswingers, 20 percent were short and four percent were inswingers.

They’ve taken 86 corners under Beale and contrastingly, 70 percent have been inswingers, 10 percent outswingers and the remaining 20 percent short attempts.

What immediately stands out is the shift from outswingers to inswingers. In fact, the 10 percent of outswingers that remains post-managerial change is made up of the three matches Borna Barisic missed due to World Cup duty, meaning James Tavernier was delivering from either side.

READ MORE: 'He was running the game' - Why Rangers' Ryan Kent can't be judged on goals and assists alone

A piece in the Athletic last year explained: “StatsBomb found that inswinging corners have a lower completion success (30 per cent) compared with outswinging corners (42 per cent) with regard to reaching a team-mate.

“[However] shots taken from inswingers are significantly more likely to result in goals (10.8 per cent, compared to 6.5 per cent) because they almost always happen closer to the goal.”

This corroborates with the fact that Rangers’ xG has risen sharply despite taking fewer shots from corners and translates to the location of those attempts. 

Look at the lack of balls won around the six-yard box from corners during the first half of the season…

Compared to the ensuing period under Beale…

Beyond the shift in delivery, what else is allowing Rangers to win headers closer to goal?

Altering the approach 

One of the main gripes with corners during the season’s early weeks was the lack of adaptation. Rangers' corners lacked invention and often facing opponents who played with an extra centre-back due to a back five formation, high looping crosses away from goal generated little success.

Ever since a 3-2 win over Hibs in mid-December, Beale’s first game in the dugout, that’s changed.

Rangers were without any centre-backs on that day and in comparison to their hosts’, didn’t boast a superior overall aerial threat. So, they adapted their plans. Let’s take the goal Ryan Jack scored from a set piece as an example.

Tavernier took eight corners on that day and all but two, taken short, were hit towards the front post.

There’s a reason so many corners don’t beat the first man, takers are often aiming for the sweet spot.

As former Manchester United coach Paul McGuinness explains: “Near post corner flick-ons are so dangerous and difficult to defend. Positioning at the near post brings defenders into a crowded space and makes it difficult for a goalkeeper to challenge.

“Zonal defending is at risk [against this approach] from players moving in front to flick on at the near post to players positioned or arriving centrally at the far post.

"The attacking players who know the likely second touch location can gamble while the defenders must react with insufficient time.”

That latter point is exactly what played out in this win over Hibs. 

Lee Johnson's side have three centre-backs in Rocky Bushiri, Ryan Porteous and Paul Hanlon defending their box. If Rangers throw a straight delivery in, as was so often the case under Van Bronckhorst, it's likely one of those three will beat the home side’s predominant threats, Alfredo Morelos and Fashion Sakala, in the air. Especially given Porteous is free of marking duties to attack the ball. 

Tillman winning a flick-on at the front post does two things. Firstly, it turns an aerial battle into a ground war and secondly, it changes the course of the delivery which the home side possesses foreknowledge of.

Once Tillman wins his flick-on, the aerial dominance enjoyed by Hibs in the penalty box is diminished in value. While the location of the initial cross sucks Porteous out of his zonal spot ahead of the goalkeeper, while Jack moves into that vacated area.

Look at the StatsBomb freezeframe, you don’t get this type of space in the six-yard box without an air of invention.

We haven't seen this delivery too often since, largely thanks to the return of Connor Goldson. 

Goldson is back

Goldson provides the option of isolating a dominant header of the ball in the opposition penalty box, something Rangers lack in his absence. 

Take this example against Kilmarnock in January. Goldson is using Morelos as a shield to prevent his marker, Ash Taylor, from getting tight and impeding his run.

As the ball is swung in Scott Arfield remains stationary and Ben Davies makes a decoy run to the front post. Taylor is caught under the ball because he’s not been able to remain tight with Goldson in the first instance while Morelos has continued to pin his marker, preventing him from latching onto Goldson.

All of these factors leave Goldson free at the back post, where he should probably score.

Another way that the visitors generate space in the box to facilitate this isolation is by drawing three highlighted opposition players outside of the box, more on how that’s achieved later.

In this similar example against Dundee United, where Goldson nearly connects at the front post, it’s Davies who fulfils the blocking role, stopping Ryan Edwards from getting in contact with Goldson as he makes his run.

Although Goldson can’t connect on this occasion, Edwards completely loses his run.

A headed goal against Motherwell features similar themes. In this fixture, the visitors opted to man-mark with Sean Goss the free zonal header.

READ MORE: How Rangers can fit Malik Tillman and Todd Cantwell in the same team

Goldson was able to outpower his man and head over Liam Kelly.

The short corner threat

Cast your mind back to this image from the recent trip to Kilmarnock, why did the hosts’ have three men situated outside the box?

Even if they’re not the strongest aerial operators, could they not act as blockers and close off the space Rangers are seeking to attack centrally?

It’s because, on occasion, the Ibrox side will try a short routine like this.

They usually have Kent situated by the corner taker with another player, in this example, Borna Barisic, positioned deeper.

The threat of this type of move means opponents can’t only load the box and must compensate for different actions. Clearing space in the box for Goldson to attack.

Recently, we’ve also seen Beale’s side score off the back of a short routine, against Kilmarnock in a home reverse.

Look at all the different threats Kilmarnock must compensate for in this image. You have three players stationed to negate the threat of Barisic, Cantwell and Kent, three at the front post where Colak is running to provide a short option and three trying to cover the aerial threats of Goldson, Davies and Sakala.

Rangers are stretching their opponent in three different ways.

After Colak lays the ball into the feet of Cantwell, who takes the first of three resulting shots, Taylor’s eyes remained fixed on the movement of Goldson. But after Colak’s shot, the ball eventually finds its way to Goldson at the back post.

Another short corner came good in a recent trip to Tynecastle.

Rangers again have Kent situated by Tavernier with two Hearts players positioned in response instead of three. In response to this, Kent makes a decoy run to open a passing lane into Barisic. 

Note the position of Goldson deep in the box behind his teammates, which is something we’ve seen him do on other occasions.

The Hearts’ defence pushes up in response to the ball moving backwards, leaving plenty of room at the back post where Rangers’ dominant headers of the ball (Goldson, Tillman, Sakala and Morelos) are outnumbering their opponent’s four against three.

Goldson has a free run and makes his move towards the back post, where Barisic delivers, before heading the ball into Tillman’s path to finish.

By introducing variation and adaptability the threat lost at corners during the season's early months has been recovered. 

Watling's work has allowed Rangers to recover a key attacking edge.