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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Liam Bryce

5 ways Rangers can stop a Celtic drubbing becoming £40m disaster as Aaron Ramsey and fading full backs put in spotlight


The dust never really settles on a derby defeat in Glasgow, the relentless storm of a title race simply rages on to whatever's next.

And make no mistake, a title race is exactly what we have in the Scottish Premiership with 14 games to play.

Celtic's statement victory in Wednesday's titanic clash at Parkhead emphatically confirmed sneaking suspicions that the momentum at the top of the table may just have been shifting in recent weeks.

And, remember, there's not just the league trophy at stake this term - the promise of a £40million Champions League bounty hangs high over both these clubs

It's a transformative sum of money in a city battle for supremacy and Rangers have gone from heavy pre-season favourites to facing the prospect of losing their title after just one season.

But despite being battered at Celtic Park, all is not lost for Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Here are five ways they can get themselves back on track.

(REUTERS)

Don't panic!

There are knee-jerk reactions and then there are reactions to Celtic beating Rangers, or vice-versa.

From a position of real strength just a few weeks ago, the reigning champions have surrendered their position at the top of the Premiership to a rival building some serious momentum.

And then there's the manner of their defeat at Celtic Park.

Make no mistake, the scoreline read just three but it was a battering on-par with anything Rangers suffered pre-Gerrard, and that's clearly a concern.

But with a title already in the bag, this Rangers team should be made of sterner stuff and there's certainly much more experience and quality in the dressing room these days to ensure it does not become a season defining event.

Calm heads are required.

Remove that handbrake

What was perhaps most galling for Rangers fans on Wednesday was just how little resistance their team offered against the Celtic onslaught they would certainly have known was coming.

Tactical nuances count for little at any level of the game if you are simply unable, or unwilling, to match your opponent's intensity.

Rangers were bewilderingly passive in their approach but it does appear to have been a symptom of how they were set up. A glance at the team-sheet pre-kick off suggested a side built to get in Celtic's faces.

Of course, a level of caution is needed against such an effective attacking unit and the general premise - allow Celtic to punch themselves out then presumably grow into the game - was sound. The application and personnel weren't.

The irony in attempting to apply said caution was that continually inviting Postecoglou's into the final third was about as reckless as it gets.

Van Bronckhorst has no doubt been stung by the experience but if there's a lesson to be learned it's surely Rangers need to take the handbrake off once more.

This team has always been at its best on the front foot.

Reinvigorate the full-backs

Such a potent weapon under the previous managerial team, Van Bronckhorst was initially commended for a more cautious deployment of James Tavernier and Borna Barisic when Rangers were leaking goals prior to his arrival.

Gerrard's Rangers relied on their full-backs for width but now that responsibility lies with the wingers.

Both Tavernier and Barisic endured miserable evenings at Celtic Park, being pulled apart defensively in a system that left them exposed and struggling to influence the game going forward.

(Getty Images)

It seems unlikely Van Bronckhorst will deviate too far from how he wants his wingers to play but the decline in the full-backs attacking influence surely still needs addressed.

Celtic, too, deploy the likes of Jota and Liel Abada high and wide but, as witnessed on Wednesday, right-back Josip Juranovic had a significant influence on the game as he rotated constantly with the latter to cause Rangers serious problems.

Down Rangers' left, it became a feature of the first-half how many times Barisic looked forward, couldn't find Ryan Kent and turned back to either Calvin Bassey or Allan McGregor.

Perhaps there's a lesson or two to be learned from their rivals.

Build for Ramsey

Because there's no point signing a Juventus player then not doing all you can to make sure he flourishes.

Fortunately, Rangers' new system under Van Bronckhorst is already primed to accommodate their new marquee arrival.

Gone are the twin number 10s so prevalent under Gerrard in favour of a more traditional 4-3-3, with wingers stationed high and wide. With a single holding player at the base of midfield, greater attacking responsibility and emphasis has been placed on Joe Aribo, who has generally thrived.

This is where Aaron Ramsey 's capture, regardless of his reputation, makes tactical sense.

In contrast to the typical modern central midfielder who seeks passes to feet and looks to dictate play, the Welshman enjoys making bursting runs from deep and affecting play in the final third.

Indeed, Rangers' first domestic goal under Van Bronckhorst, where Scott Arfield accelerated off the shoulder of the Livingston defence to finish a James Tavernier pass, is exactly the kind of movement you'd expect from Ramsey down the years.

Spread the threat

The former point could well help in this regardless, given the attention Ramsey will command from opponents, but there's been a sense recently that if Joe Aribo doesn't shine, neither do Rangers.

The midfielder was being discussed as a potential Player of the Year just a few weeks ago and his return in time for Celtic heralded as a sizeable boost.

Over the years, Rangers have come over-reliant on Alfredo Morelos and they cannot allow the same to happen with Aribo, however excellent he may be.

His absence at Pittodrie after the winter break was keenly felt and his influence at Celtic Park almost non-existent.

This surely calls for the likes of Ryan Kent and Amad Diallo to step up in the coming weeks, along with Ramsey.

Van Bronckhorst's system is built for his wingers to flourish and they'll need to repay that faith considerably if Rangers are to retain the title.

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