The narrative that Rangers only score from corners never really stands up once you actually look at where the goals are coming from. Set pieces matter, obviously, but they’re not the whole story. And if you’re trying to build a side that can cope with different game states, having more than one route to goal is the bare minimum.

Set pieces are a weapon, not a crutch

In the league, the numbers being talked about are pretty clear: 32 goals scored, with 10 coming from corners. That’s a decent return from dead balls, but it’s nowhere near “that’s all we do”. Even within that, it’s not like Rangers are padding the totals with corners against the better sides either, with only four of those corner goals coming versus Hearts or Celtic.

That’s important because the teams Rangers need to beat regularly tend to defend their box better, organise their first contact, and make second balls a scrap. If corners were truly the only plan, you’d expect the output to collapse in those matches. It hasn’t. You can argue the general play still needs to improve, but the idea the attack is one-dimensional feels lazy.

A healthier spread helps when form dips

The other part of this is the spread of goals and assists. The 32 league goals being shared across 13 different scorers is a positive in itself. It means we’re not sat there praying one centre-forward stays hot for nine months. People can debate Dessers, or whoever is leading the line at any given time, but the broader point is Rangers aren’t totally reliant on one player bailing everyone out every week.

Same with creativity. If assists are spread across 14 players, it becomes harder for opponents to just “stop him and we stop Rangers”. A wide player gets doubled up? Fine, you need runners from midfield. A number 10 gets marked? Then it’s on full-backs, set plays, or quicker transitions. That kind of mix matters over a long season.

Football isn’t as simple as ‘stop X and you win’

Look at Hearts as a comparison point, because it highlights why the black-and-white takes don’t really hold. If Shankland and Braga contribute just under a third of their goals, and over half their assists come from Kyziridis and Milne, you can see the risk profile. Injuries, suspension, a dip in form, or a smart tactical plan from the opposition can hit them harder.

But even then, nothing’s guaranteed. Some days a team finds a different solution. Someone pops up with a deflection, a second phase, or a moment of quality you didn’t see coming. Truth is, there are too many unknowns in football to boil it down to one neat theory. Rangers can still improve, but variety in goals and assists is one of the better foundations to have.

Written by Angus1812: 9 January 2026

Tags: tactics spfl