Step 1: Have some pace up front. Step 2: Get the ball in behind the full-backs. Step 3: Profit.
That’s how St Mirren managed to give Rangers nightmares with Toyosi Olusanya and Jonah Ayunga causing Philippe Clement all sorts of problems. Stephen Robinson masterminded a massive 2-1 win over the Ibrox side, with Caolan Boyd-Munce’s late winner making it three wins from three from a Saints side who are now deservedly eyeing European football.
It was a major setback for Clement and co and their night to forget started in the first half when Olusanya, who started up front by himself in the first half, raced past Jack Butland and won a penalty from the blundering Rangers keeper, which was then converted by Oisin Smyth. Robinson was asked about his team’s game plan on Premier Sports after the game and he honestly admitted he identified the vacant space behind James Tavernier and Ridvan Yilmaz as a tactical weakness to exploit.
Robinson said: “Toyi (Olusanya) gives us an incredible outlet. With pace, your passes don’t need to be too accurate at times. We know Rangers place their full-backs really high, so if we can buy two or three passes, you’re in on goal with one pass. Toyi caused them a lot of problems. A couple of times he maybe could have got his head up and released somebody, but yeah, that was the game plan.
“Second half, we sat too deep. And then you don’t get the chance to counter because you’re not high enough up the pitch. So first-half, excellent, and the last 20 minutes, the same.”
Smyth’s penalty gave St Mirren the lead at half-time and Rangers responded by throwing on Nicolas Raskin and Danilo. That initially worked wonders: Danilo equalised and Gers had them under the cosh for the first 15 minutes after the break. But rarely one to be outfoxed, Robinson threw on Jonah Ayunga for Greg Kiltie, shifting from a 3-4-3 shape to a flatter 3-5-2.
The rest was history as they went on to seal a famous win, and Robinson said of his hour-mark changes: “We were 3-4-3 with the two No.10s, and they were getting bypassed by the two full-backs. We just felt that the No.8s coming from deeper to press out wide meant that we were engaged higher up the pitch.
“It was too easy for them in the first 15 minutes of the second half, to get into our half with one or two passes. The change worked well, obviously the players carried it out, so they deserve a lot of credit.”