Rangers’ squad management has been a justifiably criticised area of business this past year, with a wage bill that ran out of control, poorly handled contracts and decreased player value.

But the Ibrox club’s squad building has been the root of their problems. Nothing has been consistent across different managers, styles, and recruitment figureheads since 2021. There’s been little time for players to bed in and build relationships, no real environment for success. Square pegs have been in round holes far too often since Philippe Clement arrived at Ibrox last October.

Read more: Check all the Rangers transfer news & rumours throughout the transfer window

Arguably, the area most impacted by square pegs has been the wings. Clement inherited a team with no wingers and a lack of individuals able to progress the ball or cover big spaces. In the Scottish Cup Final this May, the Belgian started with Fabio Silva on the left of midfield and Dujon Sterling the right. Only in the past couple of weeks has the Belgian managed to field inverted wingers with full-backs capable on the inside or the outside.

Rabbi Matondo’s double of goals and assists against Ross County was the most impactful domestic performance since his move to Ibrox in 2022. Greater consistency and evidence are required before any conclusions follow, especially with an Old Firm on the horizon. But alongside the continuing emergence of Jefte at left-back and the natural fit offered by Vaclav Cerny on the right, Saturday’s convincing 6-0 win over the Staggies did teach us some things. For Clement’s football to work he needs the right profiles in these wide areas.

Rangers were dominant against Ross County (Image: StatsBomb)

Clement wants his wingers and full-backs to be multifaceted, capable of moving inside or outside the pitch and performing several functions. As covered recently by the Rangers Review Jefte’s profile, being able to progress the ball on his own, cover big spaces and provide attacking variety, is a stark contrast to the style of the player he replaced in Borna Barisic and a more natural fit for the type of football Clement wants to play.

Often, the Belgian favours an asymmetrical shape with one of his wide players hugging the touchline and the other playing close to a centre forward. To vary the angles his team have to play with and pull the opposition’s defensive line into a vertical shape - creating the spaces necessary to attack quickly into and becoming less dependent on direct passes forward in the build-up.

The configuration of Clement’s 11 on Saturday is swayed given Sterling played the second-half at centre-back, but notice how the wide areas take shape in the below pass network. On the left, the full-back is wide and winger narrow and on the right it’s the opposite.

Rangers' pass network against Ross County (Image: StatsBomb)

On Saturday we saw James Tavernier sit in a very narrow position during the build-up phase while Cerny hugged the right touchline. On the left it was Jefte who stretched the pitch while Matondo largely played in the half-space, there able to join Cyriel Dessers attacking the box.

Tavernier’s positioning was designed for its indirect rather than direct consequences. He’s not a full-back who’s often going to get the ball on the half-turn in his own half. Inverting here allowed Sterling to push forward and make underlapping runs from his position in centre midfield, attacking the space vacated by Cerny’s wide berth which attracted County left-back George Harmon forward, knowing Tavernier was protecting the space behind him.

On the left the dynamic was different. Connor Barron was operating at the base of midfield while Jefte and Matondo alternated positions. Normally, however, the Brazilian defender was by the touchline while Matondo picked up dangerous central spaces that would effectively allow him to attack the box unmarked and pick up the ball in central locations.

(Image: StatsBomb)

The left side was unpredictable and both parties benefited from that fact. Often when Matondo has started on his favoured flank he’s been supported by a left-back in Barisic who only overlaps.

Playing alongside Jefte, capable of a variety of attacking functions, kept the Welshman’s movement unpredictable. In the below GIF notice how the duo swap positions and also swap their markers. To start with County full-back Michee Efete is marking Matondo but a few seconds later, right midfielder Jack Grieves is adapting in real time to chase the winger. It is these small margins, like Jefte’s run in the build-up to the first goal, that provoke the creation of space against a defensive block.

Look at where Matondo received his passes at the weekend. Often by the touchline before popping up behind the midfield and ahead of the defence in the left half-space, where able to drive at the County defence. 

Where Matondo received his passes against Ross County (Image: StatsBomb)

That’s what materialised in the lead-up to the fourth goal. When a winger receives by the touchline it can prove limiting for certain profiles and Matondo isn’t an attacker who always dictates the pace of the game. Getting on the ball in central areas could prove a better fit given he’s not limited to only hit the byline or chop infield. His pace over the first few yards in more spacious central areas was too much for County to handle.

Matondo’s movement to become a second striker in the box was reminiscent of the ‘wide forward’ role played by Abdallah Sima carried out under Clement last season. Joining Dessers, running behind and making a front two when the ball was on the right, led to both of the 23-year-old's strikes.

(Image: StatsBomb)

Matondo, like his team, has been too inconsistent to draw conclusions on the basis of one game, but it's fair to say this - Clement's football has started to look far slicker domestically over the past two weeks. That owes a lot to playing with round pegs in round holes in the wide areas.