Rangers were the better side for most of the match, and you could actually see the shape of a team that’s being properly worked on under Danny. The spacing was better, the distances between units made sense, and for a good chunk of the afternoon we played with a calmness that hasn’t always been there.
Structure is showing, and that matters
For roughly 70 minutes we controlled possession and limited St Mirren’s threat. It wasn’t flawless or flashy every time, but it was controlled. Rangers looked like they knew where the next pass was, and just as importantly, where the next press was coming from if the ball was lost.
That’s the big change when a side starts to buy into coaching. You stop looking like 11 lads taking turns, and you start looking like a unit. There was a clearer idea of how we wanted to occupy space and how we wanted to move the ball through the thirds.
Set pieces as a real weapon
Both goals came from well-drilled set piece routines, with Aasgaard’s header and Fernandez’s second-phase finish. It’s not glamorous, but it’s absolutely a strength, and in this league you need those edges. If you can turn dead balls into a proper platform, you don’t need to be perfect in open play every week.
And that’s why it should be leaned on again at the weekend. Not as a gimmick, just as part of the plan. Put the ball in areas where defenders hate dealing with it, attack second balls, and make set pieces feel like mini-penalties.
Chermiti’s best all-round showing, but support is key
Chermiti looked closer to the full package here. He pressed well, linked play, and had a hand in the second goal. You can see the value in that kind of striker if we don’t leave him isolated. Too often Rangers get into good areas and it’s still one man against two centre-halves.
Get bodies closer to him when we move forward. Invert Gassama and Moore, and let Aasgaard play off him more often. Give Chermiti someone to bounce it into, and suddenly the next action becomes natural rather than forced.
The late drop-off: game management and the right side
The frustration is that it got stretched late on. At 2–0, that’s the moment for Rangers to slow the tempo, keep the ball for longer spells, and protect the right side with a bit more intelligence. Instead we let it become frantic, St Mirren built momentum, and we invited pressure.
After the penalty incident, a bit more composure would’ve helped. Calmer restarts. Safer passes. Subs that settle the game rather than open it up. Those are the boring bits, but they’re the bits that turn a nervy finish into a routine win.
Overall it’s a deserved win and it does feel like progress. But the final 15 minutes were a reminder that transitions, discipline on that right side, and chance creation from open play still need work. Looking ahead to Saturday, Celtic thrive when they control the tempo, so Rangers can’t hand them chaos. Use set pieces positively, keep emotions in check, and consider Barron deeper, with Sterling an option at RB or RCB. Keep the head, keep the ball, and we give ourselves a real chance.
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