To cut to the chase: Rohl isn’t stubbornly married to a 4-4-2 because he loves it. He’s using it because the squad he’s got right now forces him to. Goals from the forward line haven’t arrived, midfield numbers are thin and the wide players offer less end product than we need.
Squad shapes the shape
When Rohl arrived he didn’t start with a flat 4-4-2. That’s important to remember. Early on there were Diomande, Raskin and Barron to juggle and minutes needed managing. The current look is more a response to a lack of goals than a long-term tactical philosophy. To be fair, it has paid off at times — that win over Hearts at Ibrox stands out — but it’s clear the system is being chosen to squeeze results from what’s available, not because it’s the preferred blueprint.
Midfield needs a proper number six
We’d probably be able to play a three-man midfield if we had a natural holding midfielder. We don’t. Everyone bangs on about Raskin as a 6 but he’s not built for that role. He wants to get forward, he’s more box-to-box, and that lack of positional discipline shows up when we need someone to sit and protect the defence. Raskin should be used for his strengths. What Rangers need is someone to anchor the midfield — a true number six in the Elliot Watt mould — and until that’s fixed the balance will suffer.
Wide areas and the forward line
Compare us to teams like Motherwell and you see why they can play a different system: the personnel fit it. They’ve got a dedicated 6 and wide players who contribute goals and assists. You can argue over names, but those attacking numbers make a system work. We’ve seen Maswanhise with 17 goals and Elijah Just with 7 goals and 7 assists mentioned for Motherwell; those sorts of returns give a manager options. Our wide players simply create and score too little, and with Rommens injured and Tavernier on the bench at times, the right-side threat disappears.
The truth is simple and a bit grim: this squad limits Rohl. If he plays 4-3-3 we risk not having enough goals; with 4-4-2 we can lose central control. The fix isn’t tactical tinkering midweek — it’s sorting the squad in the summer so the manager can play the system he actually wants.
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