Tom Miller stunned by what Yilmaz did for Rangers in first half v Motherwell
Rangers have dominated the opening stages of their clash with Motherwell, yet find themselves 2-0 down with plenty of work to do.
Off the back of a 4-2 win against Kilmarnock, Rangers would have been looking to take as much momentum from their second-half turnaround as possible.
In terms of possession, they have achieved just that, but as has been the case throughout the campaign, they have struggled to make that possession count in the final third while looking rather vulnerable when defending.
The latter was taken advantage of when a tame effort was fumbled by Butland before Luke Armstrong reacted first to give the visitors the lead, before another counter attack saw Motherwell go 2-0 up after 30 minutes.
Rangers have a mountain to climb to get back into this game, but if they can replicate one passage of play from the opening 10 minutes, they remain in with a chance.
Rangers failing to take advantage of their dominance v Motherwell
The majority of the first half has been played under Rangers possession, though Motherwell have been well organized and posed a threat on the counter.
However, if Rangers can up their intensity when on the ball, there is a clear route back into this game, with one particular period of play impressing Miller inside the first 10 minutes.
| Rangers v Motherwell | Goals | Shots | Possession |
| Rangers | 0 | 11 | 61% |
| Motherwell | 2 | 4 | 39% |
The Light Blues were moving the ball quickly and created plenty of space to attack, though they failed to take advantage of it, with Miller impressed by what he saw in the build-up.
Commentating via Rangers TV (1 March), Miller said: “Terrific back to front football, but the quality of the passing, starting from Yilmaz, was exceptional.”
If the Light Blues are to win this game, there needs to be far more urgency on the ball, as showcased during that attack, though better decisions also need to be made in the final third.
Rangers yet to get out of first gear
Barry Ferguson’s side triumph over Motherwell in every area of the pitch in terms of quality, but the application has been very poor, and unless that changes, this looks incredibly likely to end in defeat for the Light Blues.
Given the form that Cyriel Dessers has been in, the Gers have made little to no attempt to try and get him into the game, and that will be key to a win or, at this stage, a draw.
Although nothing came of it, that early passage of play involving Yilmaz showcased the level of quality possessed by Rangers, but since that moment, very little has been on show, with major improvements needed in the second half.