‘Coming to places like Hibs is tough. To leave with a win but also a clean sheet is massive’
Van Bronckhorst keen to keep on ‘keeping the zero’ during first steps
IT wasn’t pretty, but it was effective. Ultimately, that was all that mattered for Rangers at Easter Road. Victory over Hibernian didn’t showcase the style that Giovanni van Bronckhorst wishes to see from the Scottish champions, but the positives – mainly in terms of the points – were there to be built upon.
Three wins from three matches is just the start that Van Bronckhorst needed after replacing Steven Gerrard as manager and each test, all very different in nature against Sparta Prague, Livingston and Hibs, has been passed.
There were stages in the Dutchman’s first two fixtures in charge that gave glimpses of the attacking flair that he is seeking to implement. On Wednesday night, it was all about the defensive side of the game.
The phrase “keeping the zero” has been prevalent whenever Van Bronckhorst has spoken over the last few days and it will become increasingly important to Rangers.
For much of the final weeks of Gerrard’s tenure, there was a frailty and fragility about the Rangers defence. Such traits threatened to undermine their title challenge.
Those issues have not been wholly solved by Van Bronckhorst but Hibernian were unable to run riot at Easter Road in the same manner that they had done at Hampden just 10 days previously.
In the end, a late Kemar Roofe penalty was all that separated the sides in a tight, combative encounter. It was all that the champions needed, however, as they recorded a victory that was a small statement of intent in the Premiership.
“Of course I am happy with the win,” Van Bronckhorst said. “We knew this was going to be a tough match and I think the game showed that it was tough.
“But I am very happy, of course, with the points because after 90 minutes you want to leave with the win.
“You fight hard to keep the zero, you try to create chances.
We had some chances in the first half, the one for [Alfredo] Morelos with the header just before half time.
“In the second half, Ryan Kent had some good actions and was a danger on that side. Of course, with the penalty we could score.
“Coming to places like Hibs away, it is going to be very tough. To leave here with a win, but also with a clean sheet for us is massive.”
The arrival of Van Bronckhorst was seen as a fresh start for every member of the Ibrox squad and there were, it seemed, places for up grabs under a new managerial regime.
The 46-year-old hasn’t tinkered too much with his team, however, and just one change was made from the win at Livingston as Steven Davis replaced Scott Arfield in the middle of the park.
Aside from the absence of Filip Helander, the team that started against Hibernian is arguably Rangers’ strongest on paper, but it was Van Bronckhorst’s decisions during the game rather than those pre-match that paid the greatest dividends.
Arfield added a drive and determination following his introduction, while Roofe, after
a Ryan Porteous foul on Ryan Kent, marked his return to the team with a clinical spotkick as he scored his tenth goal of the campaign for the champions.
Van Bronckhorst could be satisfied with the defensive solidity of the side. When he needed to see a spark, Rangers found it at just the right moment.
“I think we brought him [Roofe] and Scott, the first subs, on to get the energy levels up,” Van Bronckhorst said. “I think they showed that.
“I was happy with the goal for Kemar because he has been injured in the last couple of weeks.
“I’m happy for him, happy for the team, happy for the club
that we are leaving here with the win.
“The options are there, not only in the squad but in the players who are not involved. I am very happy with the balance in the team.
“I was bringing on [Fashion] Sakala for the last eight or 10 minutes to give us from fresh legs up front and maybe be dangerous in those moments.
“With the penalty, I could switch to John Lundstram so we had the defensive balance in the back because we knew they were going to go with long balls, like the whole game. I think John brought us a little bit more defensive stability.”
When Van Bronckhorst took office at Ibrox last Monday, he was faced with a potentially daunting run of fixtures that will go some way to determining Rangers’ ambitions for the second half of the campaign.
His first assignment was completed as a place in the Europa League knockout rounds was secured and successive wins on the road at Livingston and Hibernian have allowed Rangers to consolidate in the Premiership.
The visit of Dundee is next up for the champions. The games continue to come thick and fast, but the wins will always be the most important aspect during a crucial period leading up to the winter break next month.
“It is a short preparation before the games in the last weeks but we have done well so far,” Van Bronckhorst told RangersTV. “We will have a recovery session [on Thursday] and then prepare the players for Saturday as well.
“Friday we will look to Dundee, how we are going to attack them and make sure that the team is prepared physically but also tactically for Saturday.”