Analysis Corner: How Hibs continue to make ground on Rangers

By Dougie Wright (@dougie_wright)

Despite sharing a city with their more traditional rivals, there’s certainly an argument that Hibs and Rangers have been each other’s true bête noire over the past four seasons. Sharing two seasons in the Championship and a Scottish Cup final, both have been on the end of thrashings from the other. When the two met at Ibrox on Saturday, it was yet another thrilling instalment in this ever growing rivalry.

Compact Rivalry

In football, there’s a great benefit to staying close to your team-mates. When you have the ball, it means there are a lot more passing options close to you, and when you’re out of possession, you and your team-mates can “crowd out” the opponent better.

Take a look at these two pictures from Saturday’s game at Ibrox and tell me which side was more successful as staying compact?

Indeed, it is this gap in the Rangers’ picture that Hibs were able to take advantage of in the first half. Time and time again, Allan, McGeouch and McGinn would glide forward with little to no resistance.

This is because a) Jason Holt and Josh Windass had likely been caught further up the pitch, b) Sean Goss isn’t a particularly proactive defensive player and c) Rangers’ defensive line of Martin and Bates tends to sit reasonably deep.

This leaves a whole bunch of space where Hibs’ quick passers can make lots of ground quickly.

The gaps Rangers were leaving were particularly evident in the build-up to Hibs’ first goal through John McGinn. A Rangers clearance is pressed by Holt, Windass, Candeias and Morelos. McGinn wins the ball in the centre circle, dribbles past some feeble Sean Goss resistance, and fires home. John McGinn is well known in Scottish football for his ability to shoot from range; Saturday’s was his third such goal in the league this season.

Defending as a block

With a lead in the bag, Hibs knew that they could frustrate their hosts by sitting in deep. Think of Rangers’ best creative players: Josh Windass gives you pace and power centrally, while Candeias and Tavernier have excellent delivery from the right flank.

To be effective, these things require a bit of space. While Windass has improved massively this season, his ball control and dribbling aren’t the greatest in tight situations. Similarly, you can have the best crosser in the world, but if your opponent has 10 players in the box, then it’s unlikely that you’re going to be able to find your team-mate.

This meant that the quality of Rangers’ shots were restricted. Whether from range, from a tight angle, or in a crowded box, the home side racked up a flurry of low percentage opportunities in the hope that something would come off for them. Unfortunately for them, even when they did manage a shot on the Hibs’ goal, they still had to beat Ofir Marciano.

The Israeli keeper was at his athletic best on Saturday diving here, there and everywhere to thwart Rangers.

Home blues

There’s a growing argument that this Rangers side don’t deal too well with setbacks in games at Ibrox.

Nobody could accuse the players of being lazy, but you can visibly see the wind puffed out of the team when something goes against them.

On Saturday, they conceded a penalty within a minute of equalising.

In August, the same opposition scored within two minutes of Ryan Jack being sent off.

Clarke’s first game in charge of Kilmarnock saw them nab a 95th minute equaliser just seconds after the home side had missed a late penalty.

This theme will continue to cost Rangers unless they can learn better game management. An ability to batten down the hatches for five minutes and play a low risk, safe game of football would allow the team valuable time to reassess the match and once again find a rhythm.

Where do both sides go from here?

In six games against Celtic and Rangers this season, Hibs have only lost twice. That’s a pretty decent record to have, and underlines the ability of their side to play a highly effective counter attacking style when needed.

Particularly pleasing for Neil Lennon will have been the performance of John McGinn as left wing back, and Ryan Porteous at centre half. The 19 year old slotted in seamlessly to the Hibs back line and his first full 90 minutes in the Scottish Premiership went at least as well as anything Paul Hanlon or Darren McGregor could have produced. A bright future awaits.

As for Rangers, the January honeymoon is now over. Their first defeat in eight games showed that many of the vulnerabilities exposed in the first half of the season are still present. The inability to break down deep defences, the gaps between the midfield and attack, and a mental “choke” will cost them further this season if not addressed.

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• Analysis Corner