Clement stops tinkering as Gers boss builds success on consistent foundation

02/04/2024 18:30

Rangers return to the top of the table has been a long time coming but it is one that has been built on a mentality and ethos made simple by Philippe Clement.

The Gers boss has raised the standards at Auchenhowie and at Ibrox with the whole squad buying into a togetherness that has seen a dramatic improvement in performances and results. 

For much of his tenure at Rangers, Philippe Clement has had to make do with what he has at his disposal, however, since the turn of the year, there has been a pattern emerging in an area of the park that has been pivotal to our resurgence. 

Rangers make key change under Philippe Clement, no change

There has been a definite change in style of play out of possession in that Rangers are pressing higher and more aggressively, defending from the front rather than inviting teams on and soaking up the pressure.

Speaking recently, Connor Goldson explained what the differences are with the big Belgian in charge: 

"Running wise yes! Running wise it is different. It is just the way he wants us to play. He wants us to stop counter attacks.

“If we have got a team on the edge of the box he wants us to push all the way up to the strikers so they can't get the ball and turn.

“That is what is leading to us keeping more clean sheets – the boys up the pitch are pressing. 

"We are going with them as high as the striker goes. So he just wants to stop transitions, which I think we got caught on a few times at the start of the season. Yeah, it is good, I am really enjoying it."

The system has changed but, in 2024, the players haven't really.

In the last 11 games in the league, Goldson and John Souttar have played together 10 times. 

The only time they didn't was when Goldson was suspended and Leon Balogun deputised.

Despite Souttar's past, it is now clear that Clement rates him as the best partner for Goldson and isn't concerned about playing the Scotland international too often. 

Defenders will always make mistakes, for those old enough to remember, Richard Gough and Terry Butcher also made plenty, so did Lorenzo Amoruso, Craig Moore, David Weir and Majid Bougherra.

I'm not sure about Carlos Cuellar though.

Goldson and Souttar have both been culpable this season – Motherwell in particular – but it is a by-product of the way that Rangers play. 

It is always harder trying to cover half a pitch's worth of space and defend 1v1 than it is sitting in your own box and not having to worry about runners.

There is no room for mistakes.

As we saw against Hibs, all it takes is for one player to ball watch and the defence gets stretched.

Philippe Clement has rotated his Rangers team a lot since coming to Glasgow but there now appears to be a core who he knows he can rely on to minimise disruption and it is working. 

Hopefully, it is a consistency that can be maintained until the summer, both in terms of personnel and results.