Glasgow Rangers are back in action for the first time since Christmas this afternoon as they prepare to welcome Motherwell to Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.
The Light Blues need a positive result to bounce back from the disappointment of losing 2-1 to league leaders Hearts at Tynecastle last weekend.
In order to get back to winning ways in front of their own supporters, Danny Rohl should change the formation that he started the game against Hearts with.
Why Rangers should change their formation against Motherwell
The Light Blues have played a 3-4-2-1 system with Max Aarons and Jayden Meghoma as wing-back options in the last two games, and only scored two goals – against Hibernian and Hearts – in that time.
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Aarons, in particular, has not looked up to the task in possession to make that formation work, as he does not carry enough of a threat in one-on-one situations to be the team’s only outlet on the right flank.
Per Sofascore, the English wing-back only completed one of his 12 attempted crosses and created just two chances in 150 minutes of action against Hibernian and Hearts, whilst failing to create a single ‘big chance’ for the side.
Aarons has only created one ‘big chance’ and is yet to register a single assist in 12 Premiership appearances for Rangers this season so far, so it is not a surprise to see him struggling offensively in a wing-back role.
This is why Rohl should change the formation to play a more defined four at the back system, with the captain James Tavernier at right-back, and drop the Bournemouth loanee from the side.
How Rohl can permanently bench Aarons
The German head coach can permanently bench Aarons by moving to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation on a regular basis, with Tavernier or the fit-again Dujon Sterling starting at right-back instead, by unleashing Findlay Curtis ahead of him.
Bringing the academy graduate into the side, starting with today’s clash with Motherwell, over the Englishman would allow Rohl to change the formation from a 3-4-2-1 to a 4-2-3-1.
|
How playing Curtis can change the Rangers system |
|
|---|---|
|
Vs Hearts |
Vs Motherwell |
|
GK: Butland |
GK: Butland |
|
RCB: James Tavernier |
RB: James Tavernier |
|
CCB: Dujon Sterling |
CB: Dujon Sterling |
|
LCB: Emmanuel Fernandez |
CB: Emmanuel Fernandez |
|
RWB: Max Aarons |
LB: Jayden Meghoma |
|
CM: Connor Barron |
CM: Connor Barron |
|
CM: Nico Raskin |
CM: Nico Raskin |
|
LWB: Jayden Meghoma |
RW: Mikey Moore |
|
AM: Mo Diomande |
AM: Mo Diomande |
|
AM: Mikey Moore |
LW: Findlay Curtis |
|
ST: Bojan Miovski |
ST: Bojan Miovski |
As you can see in the XIs above, bringing Curtis in for Aarons against Motherwell could completely change the system, with the skipper moving to centre-back, Mikey Moore moving out wide, and the youngster coming in on the left flank.
The 19-year-old forward, as expected, is still learning and developing as a player, which has resulted in a few subpar performances. Against Hibernian, for example, the Scottish teenager only created one chance and lost six of his nine ground duels in 69 minutes of action.
However, the “Boy Wonder” has shown plenty of signs of promise in a Rangers shirt this season, including the goal in the clip above against Panathinaikos in the Champions League qualifying round.
The left-sided attacker, per Transfermarkt, has scored three goals in 407 minutes of football across 15 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues this term, which shows that he does have the potential to offer a threat in the final third.
Giving Curtis more first-team exposure to help him adapt to playing for the Gers in the Premiership could fast-track his development and help to create a quality player for the club moving forward.
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Providing an academy player with a platform to develop is more helpful to Rangers for the long-term than playing a loanee who they do not have an option to sign permanently, in Aarons, out of position as a wing-back.
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That is why Rohl should permanently bench the former Norwich and Valencia man by changing the formation to improve the attack and offer Curtis more minutes to aid his development.
The change in formation to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 could leave Aarons permanently benched because Tavernier and Sterling could carry out the right-back duties as starters, leaving him as a back-up option.
