Corners, Throw-ins and Common Sense

I’m not looking to pile into any one player here, because that’s the easy bit. But I’ve found myself watching Rangers set pieces lately and thinking: why does it keep ending up the same way? Same taker, same side, same pattern, and then we’re all left arguing about whether it’s bad decision-making or just what’s been asked of them.

Why is one player on everything?

It’s the corners and even some of the wider free kicks that make folk scratch their heads. You can accept a player being the designated long throw option, because that’s a specialist job. But when it feels like every dead ball is funnelled through the same boot, you do start to wonder if we’re limiting ourselves.

There are a few possible reasons without needing to invent anything. Coaches like consistency. They like a reliable delivery, a repeatable routine, and they’ll sometimes accept the odd poor one because the overall pattern is what they’re training. It also might simply be about who’s trusted under pressure. When legs are heavy and the crowd’s restless, managers often want the ball with the player they believe will follow the plan.

But if it’s not working, it’s fair to ask why it’s still happening.

Throwing into the mixer when we could keep it

The bit that really nags at me is game management. If we’re in a position where keeping the ball matters, why are we launching throw-ins into the middle as if it’s last knockings in a cup tie? Sometimes the clever option is the boring one: take it short, keep possession, draw a foul, win a second phase, and make the opposition chase.

Throwing it into traffic can be fine if it’s a rehearsed trigger, if bodies are set and you’re confident of the second ball. But if it’s just “get it up there” football, you’re basically handing over control. In the SPFL, where margins are tight and games get scrappy, control is gold dust.

Full-backs on corners: plan or problem?

Seeing both full-backs involved in corner-taking does look odd on the surface. It can leave you short at the back, it changes who’s in the box, and it can even affect how quickly you reset if it breaks down. Again though, that’s where the balance comes in.

If it keeps happening, it’s hard to believe it’s purely a player freelancing. At this level, set pieces are coached. They’re drilled. And if a coach didn’t like the pattern, you’d expect it to be addressed pretty quickly. So while supporters might not enjoy the look of it, it’s probably not as simple as blaming the taker for every outcome.

Truth is, the frustration comes from not seeing enough payoff. If the routine is deliberate, you want to see it creating clearer chances or, at the very least, helping Rangers control matches better. Otherwise it just looks like we’re making life harder than it needs to be.

Written by Angus1812: 30 December 2025