A loss away from home on league duty for Rangers is not new and that, in and of itself, is the problem. Last night’s 2-1 defeat against St Mirren marked four from eight since August.
Some believed this group were turning a corner in December, with impressive performances against Tottenham and Celtic alongside an improvement in chances created against Dundee, Kilmarnock and Ross County. Celtic’s dropped points last week against Dundee United and Aberdeen’s nosedive in form added a new tone to the conversation. Rangers could’ve, in theory, cut the gap at the top to six points and changed the feel of their season if the Old Firm went their way on January 2nd. Could Philippe Clement finally grasp momentum that’s proven out of reach since March? Now the prospect of sitting 15 behind the top of the table is more realistic come early January.
Clement was vexed speaking to assembled media last night referencing an angry half-time in which he could’ve substituted “eight or nine” individuals who’d conspired to enter the dressing room a goal behind, insisting: “It's not a tactical [issue] because there was no big change in tactics in the second half. It's about quality, that moment, intensity. And that's the frustrating part, that I didn't see that one coming or nobody saw that one coming, if you see the consistency over the last two months.”
And yet, as Rangers recorded their fourth domestic defeat on the road of the league season, the failure to acknowledge any pattern or assume any responsibility does not help. While it would be overly dramatic to suggest last night’s result was on the horizon, it would be overly optimistic to think it far out of reach. If anything, this performance was a continuation of what Rangers have served up for most of the season away from Ibrox.
While St Mirren created a meagre open-play total (0.22xG) their penalty after 30 minutes offered an advantage to protect. Clement dismissed the notion that Rangers’ tempo dropped after Danilo’s equaliser on the hour but the stats disagree. Rangers’ xG from 0-45 minutes was 0.17, from 47-61 minutes 1.05 and from 61-97 0.16.
Last night in the first-half they managed just one shot on goal before substitutions arrived and the tempo upped for a period.
Clement recently dismissed talk that Rangers’ tactical approach is better suited to Europe, but the contrast in result and underlying number is stark. The Ibrox side are seven unbeaten under the Belgian’s management away in European competition. Their xG difference is 1.24 away from home, the best in the entire Europa League competition.
What is it about trips in Scotland that prove so challenging? The Belgian is clearly not a bad coach or an incapable one. If penalty kicks had swung in the other direction at Hampden a fortnight ago in a game his team shaded, the conversation would have been so different. And yet, last night was not a new performance. Rangers scarcely control games when they dominate the ball and remain too reliant on individuals. Taking Nico Raskin and Danilo out of yesterday’s team demonstrated that fact.
While the manager insisted his tactics did not change after the break the introduction of either player was stark. Clement had seemingly found a formula in recent weeks with two strikers, Igamane and Danilo, adding goalthreat and a clever rotation in attack alongside Ianis Hagi adding some much-needed unpredictability.
It’s understandable, even in hindsight, that Raskin took a break at No.6 given a booking would’ve ruled him out of the January Old Firm. However, the call to not start with two strikers does not reflect well. Even if Rangers’ shape did not change the interpretation of that role by the Brazilian alongside Igamane in recent weeks has significantly improved Rangers’ attacking output.
Look at the first-half pass network and consider Igamane’s positioning. The Moroccan naturally drifts wide and vacates central spaces and although Nedim Bajrami was occupying a favoured No.10 spot he didn’t provide a focal point before the break. Everything went around the hosts who were happy to defend crosses.
By contrast in the second-half as the tempo lifted, Rangers’ No.99 offered a central option when Igamane drifted wide. Ultimately the damage was done in a first 45 minutes that left the visitors chasing outcomes.
Clement remains in a delicate position where he must consider the future yet cannot overlook the present. Raskin will make the Old Firm but at what cost? Although the manager insisted post-match his team “do not go back to zero” the trust delicately built in recent weeks has crumbled once again.
There are no shortage of problems to seek in defence, an area Rangers were already planning to strengthen in January. While Dujon Sterling was culpable with an error in losing the ball as St Mirren stole all three points he appeared the club’s most apt centre-back on a night when Leon Balogun limped off injured.
Robin Propper, after better weeks, required bailing out by teammates consistently and was culpable at both goals. The Dutchman saw Greg Kiltie run behind him as Jack Butland conceded an early penalty and played a square pass to Sterling under pressure in injury time before failing to clear a subsequent cross. Would it have been wiser to keep Sterling on the left side of defence, able to cover the gaps left by Jefte’s forward runs, as opposed to isolating Propper in that same space?
This was a night that again left Rangers asking searching questions when they badly required answers.
Read more:
- 'It's not a tactical thing' - Clement explains what went wrong in St Mirren defeat
- The clever new tactical plan Clement's using - with Hagi, Igamane and Danilo at heart
