Rangers in cruise control as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side continue on road to 56 with Ibrox win
THIS was not the kind of statement of intent win – like those earned against Hibernian and Hearts in recent times – that are the mark of champions.
It was the sort of straightforward one that title challenges are built on, however, as Rangers eased to victory over St Johnstone at Ibrox. It was as comfortable as the score suggests.
Goals from Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent saw the unbeaten run under Giovanni van Bronckhorst tick over once again. With Dundee United and St Mirren to visit here next, there is every chance another couple can be added to the tally before the visits to Aberdeen and Celtic.
This sequence of fixtures that Rangers are in the middle of now had the potential to make or break their Premiership defence. So far, it couldn’t have gone any better for Van Bronckhorst in his first weeks in office.
This occasion and result won’t live long in the memory this term. They don’t need to, though, as Rangers keep adding to the positives and the momentum under Van Bronckhorst’s guidance.
The pattern of this game was set early in the evening. From the first whistle until the last, Rangers would dominate proceedings and it always looked a matter of how many they would win by rather than if they would emerge victorious.
In that regard, it should have been by more. Given how impressive they were in stages, there will be a frustration that the margin of the win wasn’t greater.
The only surprise of the first half was that it took the champions as long to break the deadlock and break St Johnstone’s resistance. When the goal arrived just two minutes before the interval, the visitors couldn’t say it hadn’t been coming.
But for the exploits of keeper Zander Clark, this one would have been over long before he had to pick the ball out of his net as Morelos scored for the third game in succession to take his tally to 12 for the campaign.
A corner from Borna Barisic was met by Connor Goldson. The first duel had been lost by the Saints defence, and it would prove costly.
From just a couple of yards out, Morelos nodded home. On this occasion, Clark was helpless and it was set to be a long second half for Davidson’s side.
The Saints had spent the evening attempting to hassle Rangers and knock them off their stride, but the task was a thankless one and they rarely got close enough. When they did have the ball, they didn’t have the quality or the cutting edge to do anything with it.
Rangers would control possession for large swathes of the first half and they really should have had a couple of goals to show for their dominance. Had Morelos not scored when he did, the feelings at the interval would have been decidedly different around a chilly Ibrox.
Clark’s first intervention came just seven minutes in. From a tight angle, Kent fired in an effort that the keeper did well to block.
When Joe Aribo tried his luck just moments later, Clark was cemented to his spot. As he watched on, a curling strike that seemed destined to find the top corner would clip his right-hand post as Aribo came within inches of a stunning goal.
There were times when Rangers were guilty of overplaying in their attempts to work their way through the St Johnstone defence. Some moves broke down as a result of too many touches being taken, others because of wrong options being chosen.
When the champions did get a sight of goal, Clark was there. He would save from Kent once again as a smart block with his legs kept the scoreboard stationary.
Morelos should have changed that fact long before he did. Somehow, he would spurn a glorious chance after 26 minutes.
A pass from Glen Kamara – an accomplished, composed figure in the middle of the park – was pinpoint and Morelos was in behind. Rather than pull the trigger, he paid the price for his deliberations and the reaction in the stands and the dugout told Morelos how much he had dithered and dallied as Liam Gordon and Clark smothered him.
Thankfully for Rangers, that miss didn’t prove costly. Either did the call from referee Euan Anderson as he rebuffed what appeared to be strong calls for a penalty when Kamara tangled with Jacob Butterfield on a burst into the area.
Davidson introduced Stevie May in place of Eetu Vertainen at the break in an attempt to pose more problems to a Rangers defence that was unruffled to that stage. Once again, it was all about the champions in an attacking sense, though, and the lead was doubled just four minutes later.
An incisive move was started by Aribo and finished by Kent. The run and cross came from Morelos and when Kent converted at the back post, it was game done as Ibrox found its voice.
Such a goal was symptomatic of the direction of travel for Rangers right now. A side that was stale at the start of the season has found its spark and St Johnstone – a tame effort from Reece Devine aside – had no response to the moments of individual excellence and attacking combinations.
Referee Anderson would add to St Johnstone’s frustrations when he refused to give a penalty when Kamara and Liam Craig collided. A booking for Craig’s reaction wasn’t the decision that Davidson demanded and his side looked increasingly susceptible to being picked off as they attempted to find a way back into the game late on.
The loss of Barisic to illness was an unfortunate late twist in the tale for Van Bronckhorst and the Croatian was replaced by Nathan Patterson for the final ten minutes.
That was the only negative on the night at Ibrox. The champions were not at their effervescent best, but they didn’t need to be as they cruised to victory.
Such routine wins were the backbone of their march to 55 last season. More outings like this will do just the job for Van Bronckhorst as he seeks to deliver title 56 this time around.
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