Simply the refreshed
Boss Gio’s new broom’s given Gers a much needed brush up which may sweep them to title glory
IF the old adage about a change being as good as a rest is correct, it could be a long chase for the rest of the Premiership as they seek to keep tabs on rejuvenated Rangers.
It’s still early days in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Ibrox reign, but the signs so far are that the switch has brought a freshness back into the Ibrox ranks.
A stale whiff had begun to linger over the champions in the final weeks leading up to Steven Gerrard’s decision that it was mission complete in Glasgow before bolting back south to the first job that didn’t involve him becoming the figurehead for a dictatorship.
Whatever the reasons for the decline from last year’s lofty standards, the arrival of a new broom to sweep Rangers clean could not have been better timed as they prepare to get down and dirty during a hectic festive run.
The rock-solid servants who took the Light Blues on a bulldozer ride to last season’s title triumph had been far easier to chip away at this time round.
But Saturday’s comfortable win over Dundee means that the Dutch boss’ team have now conceded just one goal so far as he became the first Gers gaffer since Willie Waddell 52 years ago to kick off his Ibrox tenure with four straight wins.
This, of course, may all be down to the new-manager bounce.
But there are also indicators that the players are enjoying the tinkering van Bronckhorst has done to the well-drilled 4-3-3 masterplan left behind by his predecessor.
The former Rangers star wants his wingers to provide width and the result is left-back Borna Barisic has never looked more steady at the back since being told he no longer has to drive 80 yards up field at every opportunity to fire in crosses.
Scott Arfield, who appeared to be drifting out of the first-team picture under Gerrard earlier this season, is putting in the kind of displays which could yet earn him another contract before his current deal expires in May.
And summer signing Fashion Sakala produced his liveliest performance so far on his first start under van Bronckhorst.
But it’s unlikely anyone else will have taken to the new boss’ methods quite so enthusiastically as Joe Aribo.
It was the former Charlton playmaker who finally found a way past Dundee keeper Adam Legzdins 10 minutes before the break.
The Dens No.1 seemed to be the only member of James McPake’s side capable of resisting the hosts as he pulled off one save after another.
It was cruel luck then that when Aribo did beat him with the Light Blues’ 12th attempt of the first half, it took a filthy deflection off stopper Liam Fontaine’s outstretched leg for the ball to find its way into the net.
It was a stroke of luck but Aribo fully deserved his good fortune.
He’s been Rangers most consistent performer, and only ever present, this season. And his move to the No.10 role under van Bronckhorst is bringing the best out of his substantial qualities.
With those telescopic legs, he’s got more tricks in his locker than Inspector Gadget.
But he’s also added muscle to those long limbs and is becoming increasingly harder to shift off the ball.
The Nigeria international is also adding a final ball to his repertoire, as he demonstrated with a wicked cross from the left 10 minutes into the second half which again fooled a
Dundee stopper, this time Ryan Sweeney, into dangling a leg out.
The result was the same as Fontaine’s first-half faux pas, but this time Sweeney couldn’t escape credit for the own goal.
It was a performance which left former Gers winger Neil McCann purring.
He said: “He must be very difficult to play against.
“He’s got really long arms and he’s rangy. He can keep people at bay because he’s strong with broad shoulders as well.
“He likes to get people in close to him because he’s got such a
real control of that left foot of his. You saw him so many times rolling past people on Saturday. He was impressive.”
Alfredo Morelos hasn’t always enjoyed playing alongside other strikers but he will have appreciated Sakala’s role in his goal 20 minutes from time.
The Zambian star drove in from the left before finding Arfield.
Morelos still had it all to do as he collected the ball 12 yards out with Fontaine and Sweeney breathing down his neck.
But after some penalty-box pinball as he bounced through the defenders, the ball sat up perfectly for him to ram past Legzdins.
With Gers in control, it allowed van Bronckhorst to take a closer look at Ryan Jack, Scott Wright and Juninho Bacuna from the bench.
Having seen enough of Steven Davis and Ryan Kent to give both the day off entirely, this was an opportunity to assess the rest of midfield and frontline options.
And McCann reckons it could be Wright who emerges from the shadows to grab the Ibrox spotlight under van Bronckhorst.
The former Aberdeen kid is a more natural fit for that wide-right slot currently being occupied by Ianis Hagi.
He said: “We’ve spoken an awful lot about Scott Wright and how he could be such a big player for Rangers and really push his career on here.
“But it’s maybe just not quite exploded as we’d hoped for him.
“If there’s one player in this team who really enjoys how Gio plays, because the wide players play wide rather than coming inside and playing as a 10, it’s Scott.
“He looked lively and maybe he’s a player who, if he can get a run in the team, can start to really affect games.”