Rangers 3-0 Dundee: Take me home, Copland Road

With Adam taking a well deserved short break, I was roped in to complete this week's match review. He chose a good weekend to be unavailable, as I put an unusual Saturday off to good use to visit my favourite venue for the first time this season!

For a very whistle stop introduction:

I'm Stefan , a former Video Analyst in the SPFL and Scottish National team youth squads. As such my review may be more technical and less whimsical than that of my younger brother, but hopefully still an enjoyable read for you.

When our first goal kick, less than a minute in, got hammered up the park after one pass, I feared we would be in for a long day. However, I would say this was a performance with a lot of positive aspects albeit still with work to do.

Dundee started in a relatively compact mid block which stalled our build up play for the first 5 or so minutes. While they were organised none of the Rangers midfield three worked hard enough to try and earn space to play. It led to us struggling to play through the middle and having a lot of the ball at the back. Shortly after Tav started to invert which caused a bit of confusion defensively for Dundee, and we were able to get the ball to Cerny who managed to open things up with a switch to the left a few times.

It wasn't long until we were ahead. Bajrami got into good space behind the full back to cross and Dessers initial shot was saved. Tav fired it back into the danger area and big CD was alive again to poke it in. Both sides of our number 9, hitting a chance he maybe should've scored straight at the goalkeeper before reacting extremely well to score probably a more difficult chance.

The goal was the result of good rotation between Jefte and Bajrami which was a really positive feature throughout. While I would've preferred having Bajrami start centrally you could see the benefit of having a proper creator on the pitch. In a way I think it helped Lawrence as he really isn't a creative number 10, he's a high volume crosser and shooter. He can just play his game now.

Before the goal we looked fluid and aggressive. After the goal the same lethargic looking Rangers appeared again. Not getting the same number of bodies up the pitch , possession feeling laboured and slow. This allowed Dundee to get a possessional foothold in the game before half time.

Throughout the game we actually looked relatively comfortable when Dundee had settled possession of the ball. The problems really come from our sloppiness in transition.

In my first season as the analyst for Queen's Park there was a really apparent problem that most opposition chances came from. QP would win the ball back in their own half, start to become positionally expansive, then lose the ball with a sloppy pass and be in immediate danger because they were no longer in a defensive shape. For me this is a real theme of PCs Rangers and it's a concern. The modern game is played in transition and we cannot afford to let this issue continue, as we will get majorly exposed by European level teams.

After being a bit sloppy on the ball in the beginning of the second half we scored our second through a clinical James Tavernier penalty. Dessers was absolutely mauled down in the box and the ref had no choice. I think the whole stadium knew the game was won at this point.

Phil had introduced Dio at half time for Sterling which I think was a good move. Sterlings use of the ball isn't amazing, and while his legs are great for running into space he won't take up intelligent positions in the half space like Dio. Something that allowed us to continually create chances in this half.

We were able to get the ball forward quickly in our attacking transitions, but shit passes behind people , moving the ball too slowly, or just a bad decision kept killing these moves. It's really frustrating because it just tipifies the negative features of this team. Not decisive enough and a bit lackluster when we need to be aggressive and clinical.

We made it 3-0 when Bajrami had another good moment on the left flank before playing a stunning cross behind the Dundee backline for Dessers who's finish was assured. I think Bajrami is going to take a few weeks to get up to speed judging from today, but you could still see his immense quality shining through for this goal. His finishing will definitely need work after a shot went for a throw!

Unsure if we have a new announcer at Ibrox ,but after the goal was checked by VAR for offside. The announcer boomed out "VAR CHECK OVER - DECISION : NO GOAL" as the referee is pointing to the centre circle to show it actually had been awarded. Maybe just excited to be back at work?

Other changes were made with Ross Mccausland having a particularly bright cameo. With Igamane coming close to opening his account. But really Dundee were just wanting to get on the bus and fuck off back north at this point. For me we should've been winning this 7-0 , when teams give up we need to be ruthless. Not take the foot off the gas and make it look a bit like a sloppy training drill. I did however like that throughout the second half we always got a good number of bodies in the box when we were attacking, something we definitely didn't do in the period after the first goal when we backed off.

Dundee's best chance came near the end when the very very inverted Tav played a pass back to Butland without looking that was intercepted , but thankfully wasn't converted. I've always banged the drum for Tav, I think he's been unfortunate to have played in such bogging squads to have not won more with us. But whether you love or hate him we could all see his legs have gone after playing so often without a break, and it was really time in the summer to move him on or sign someone who could start ahead of him.

It was nice that Kasanwirjo could come on for his debut and give Tav some rest, 140 consecutive games late I feel!

Shout-out to around 40 people sitting near me who all disappeared 30 minutes in. Only to return 10 minutes later with a black rooster. What happened to just a pie and Bovril?

Glad I filled in for what was overall a positive day, even if I was critical on what we needed to improve. You can find me on twitter under the handle @StefAnalyst