The Steven Gerrard Rangers blueprint Michael Beale is evolving

The mood is wildly positive and trajectory healthy following an invincible league campaign. Steven Gerrard is, literally and figuratively, speaking about fixing the roof while the sun is shining on a bright day in Glasgow.

“I have to have the variety because some teams and some managers will try and stop this system. They’ve seen it for some years now,” Gerrard said then, when asked if a new, alternative set-up was on the horizon.

“Within games, I might have to tweak something or change something. Just to keep opposition managers thinking and have the variety to try and adapt within the game.”

Come November, everything had changed. The summer’s sunny disposition had gradually clouded over and Gerrard was soon leaving for Aston Villa. It wasn’t until his final two league games, a 4-2 win over Ross County and 6-1 victory over Motherwell, that some recognisable fluency started to appear.

The lack of development on the tactical variation front following his pre-season admission was one of many factors contributing to a slow start. Teams appeared to be learning to combat the approach that proved so indomitable the year before. 

“In certain parts. From an attacking point of view, we need to have more variety and give opposition teams different issues and problems to think about,” Gerrard said, speaking the month before he left.

“We have certain principles of play and certain non-negotiables that don’t change whatever your system, whatever your personnel.

“So when I’m alluding to our identity, it’s more getting back into that. Once you get your principles right, I believe we’ve got the variety and the personnel to throw different issues and problems at teams.”

Perhaps the necessary time had not elapsed by the time of Gerrard’s departure to properly judge his summer comments.

The introduction of individuals like Fashion Sakala and John Lundstram offered a varied profile of player but there wasn’t a recognisable shift to a new shape or style.

Fast forward 18 months and, in some ways, Michael Beale is now putting those building blocks in place. From the outset of his spell, the 42-year-old has played with two goalscorers, a trend developed under Gerrard, and gradually moved to a two-forward shape at points.

You can see this in the pass network from the side's most recent match, a 4-2 win against Motherwell.

READ MORE: How Michael Beale's two striker template is helping to overcome inherited issue 

The acquisition of Cedric Itten, who provided a varied profile and thrived in a front two before moving to Scotland, alongside Sakala, also a front two player in Belgium, suggested the move from a 4-3-2-1 to a 4-3-1-2, most recognisable in a 4-1 win over Celtic in early 2021, was the planned path. Freeing up Ryan Kent to play at No.10.

To disclaim, although Beale’s influence was no secret under Gerrard, his start at Ibrox has by no means been a copy-and-paste job. Even if the principles in and out of possession are similar. 

“I think it’s important I thoroughly put my own stamp on the team,” was his message after taking over at QPR.

“I had a big push on Steven’s ideas of course but now this is a Michael Beale team and it’s important you see the slight differences.”

His first interview as Rangers manager followed a similar tone.

“The ideas have changed a little bit, they've grown. There's more variety,” he added.

In moments, predominantly on the East coast, Rangers have entertained domestically to a level not witnessed since that 2020/21 campaign. However, there has been a conscious emphasis from the man who left QPR for Ibrox that next season is the appropriate timescale to judge the on-pitch product.

There's also been the trialling of a new system, important within the context of Gerrard's previous comments. For the final 20 minutes against Motherwell, Rangers moved to a back three. Pinning Ryan Kent to one wing and giving James Tavernier freedom to attack the box on the other.

“John Souttar is a player that I always wanted us to sign when I was here previously. He's such a good footballer, with his passing range. It's something that we are going to look at, playing with a back three,” Beale had said on the topic.

Building up in a back three shape, with one of the midfielders dropping between the centre-backs to give the full-backs greater cover and stretch the opposition’s first line of pressure, is not new. Take this example from Beale's debut win against Hibs.

But shifting Kent wide and operating with three centre-backs is. It's different, requiring the opposition to find new solutions to fresh problems.

Formations are not binary on the ball but off it, the prospect of a different approach is worth noting. Generally, under Gerrard, Rangers’ shape off the ball always remained the same.

Beale will know from the end of his last spell at the club that, to borrow Gerrard’s phrase, it’s important to keep “opposition managers guessing”. A healthy level of variation can protect a team’s strengths because opponents must cater for different eventualities.

Of course, the fluid, interchanging attack he favours with a relational focus helps achieve that. He’s previously spoken about the importance of opponents “not knowing where to pick up Ryan Kent” and the space that subsequently creates for others.

That overall attacking freedom and the success away from home built on attacking teams instead of firming up the midfield are two key differences between Beale and Gerrard. The reason the former has made such an impressive start is because he's put his own stamp on proceedings. 

Beyond that, the sighting of a new system and fresh approach addresses a problem identified nearly two years ago.