Kris Boyd says there’s ‘no shame’ in what he expects Rangers to do vs Motherwell
Rangers have become an incredibly physical team under Danny Rohl.
After a disappointing 0-0 draw against Hibernian on 1 February, Rangers thrashed Kilmarnock 5-1 on Wednesday to strengthen their Scottish Premiership title hopes.
This was followed up by Sunday’s 8-0 Scottish Cup fifth-round demolition of Queen’s Park at Ibrox.
The Bears sit just three points behind league leaders Hearts, and few supporters can believe that Rohl has Rangers second in the table after their disastrous start to the season.
Kris Boyd has been impressed with Rangers in recent months and believes that Rohl has the perfect game plan for when they travel to Motherwell on Wednesday.
Danny Rohl will make the most of set-pieces vs Motherwell
Jens Berthel Askou’s side have been excellent all season, and they will prove to be a tough test for Rangers at Fir Park.
However, they could be susceptible to conceding from set-pieces against the Light Blues.
Since set-piece coach Scott Fry joined the coaching team on 18 November, Rangers have made the most out of dead-ball situations.
Centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez has been in incredible goalscoring form, scoring four Scottish Premiership goals this campaign.
Although it’s unclear if he will be fit, the starting lineup will be made up of several players who are a threat in the air.
| Team | Set-piece goals in the Scottish Premiership |
| Hearts | 16 |
| Dundee United | 15 |
| Rangers | 13 |
Speaking on the Go Ballistic podcast on 9 February, Boyd believes that the height in Rangers’ team will make a huge difference on Wednesday.
He said: “There’s no shame in it; Rangers are a big team. If you feel as if set-pieces are one of your best opportunities to score goals, then why not use it?
“Even if Fernandez isn’t fit, [Nasser] Djiga is still big, [Dujon] Sterling can win headers, so can [James] Tavernier, and all of the strikers.
“I mentioned Tavernier, but he’ll go and take those corners. And his deliveries are absolutely spot on.”
Against Queen’s Park, the Bears exploited their weak defence by punishing them three times from corners.
In the winter transfer window, Rangers not only improved their squad, but they added some more height.
Rangers prioritised signing tall players in winter transfer window
Andreas Skov Olsen was the new signing with the most excitement, and he is someone who can bring some aerial threat to the team.
Tochi Chukwuani’s first Rangers goal may have been a calm finish, but the Danish midfielder has caused havoc in the opposition box already since arriving from Sturm Graz.
Most impressively, Ryan Naderi scored two headers against Queen’s Park, and it won’t be the imposing striker’s last brace in a Rangers shirt.
It’s clear that Rohl and Andrew Cavenagh have identified how important set-pieces are becoming in the modern game, and it’s no shock that their recruitment has mirrored that.
Motherwell don’t have the tallest defence, and it wouldn’t be a shock if the Light Blues can capitalise on that at Fir Park.