Yesterday was one of those games you can’t quite take your eyes off, but mostly because it looked like we were always one moment away from letting it slip. Motherwell hung around right up until the final whistle, and that says plenty. Rangers should be controlling matches like that, not making them feel like a coin toss.
The high line and the goalkeeper gap
Jack Butland did pull off big saves, and you have to give him that. But the positioning issue is starting to feel like a real problem rather than a one-off. If the centre-backs are stepping up to the halfway line and the keeper is glued to the six-yard box, you’re basically inviting one simple ball over the top.
It’s not even about teams doing anything clever. It’s basic. A straight pass into space, a runner with a yard on us, and suddenly it’s panic stations. If it’s happening repeatedly, it needs addressed urgently, because you can’t build any sort of control when every turnover feels like it could become a one-on-one.
Right side balance: work-rate, width, and responsibility
The right-hand side is where it really felt disjointed. If you’ve not got natural width from the right wing, you’ve got to make it up somewhere else. But when Aasgaard isn’t offering enough on the ball, and then looks like he’s not really taking anyone when we’re out of possession, it leaves a massive hole.
That then spills into everything. You’re asking the full-back to cover too much ground, the midfield to shuffle over constantly, and the shape starts to stretch. The comment about “marking absolutely no one” is harsh, but I know exactly what that looks like in real time. It’s the kind of thing that makes the whole stand groan.
Full-backs and defending: where it’s going wrong
There’s also the bigger issue of defending out wide. If Meghoma is going to be a player for the future, fine, but right now he’s getting caught on the wrong side too often. That’s not just rawness, that’s positioning and awareness when we don’t have the ball, and teams will keep targeting it until it tightens up.
And if Gassama isn’t helping out, you’re basically leaving Dio and Meghoma to deal with overloads. In this league, that’s asking for trouble. You don’t need everyone to be a world-class defender, but you do need wingers to put a shift in and make it harder for teams to play through you.
Then there’s Tav. If his crossing isn’t even landing now, it’s hard to argue there’s not a decline. Rangers can’t afford passengers, especially in areas that decide games.
The missing link: an 8/10 with guile
The glaring need, for me, is still that 8/10 type. Someone who can take the ball in tight areas, see a pass early, and give us a bit of craft when matches get sticky. Not every chance has to come from a hopeful cross or a scrappy second ball. Sometimes you need a player who can slow the game down for ten seconds, then cut it open.
If we’re honest, that’s why January feels like it could define a lot. Not with grand promises, just with smart fixes. Because at the moment, Rangers are making games harder than they need to be.
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