In the festive season, not every gift needs to be a thrill a minute. Sometimes, the unspectacular yet effective present is the most valuable. For Rangers manager Danny Rohl, his team's 1-0 victory over Motherwell at Ibrox fell firmly into that category—a far from perfect performance that yielded three absolutely crucial points.
A Tale of Two Halves and a Goalkeeping Masterclass
The match was a strange puzzle for Rohl to dissect. The eternal optimist within him will cling to the hard-earned clean sheet, a result which now means his side boasts the best defensive record in the Scottish Premiership. He will also find encouragement in the volume of chances his team is creating. Yet, with a misfiring forward line, the chronic lack of goals remains a pressing issue that won't be solved overnight.
The most significant takeaway for the Gers' head coach, however, was the emerging trait of winning while playing poorly. Truthfully, Rangers were abject in the first period. So lacking in composure and quality were they that club legend Derek Johnstone, conducting the half-time draw, used the public address system to deliver a stinging rebuke. "I should be playing this afternoon," he declared. "One thing about playing for this football club is that you have got to give absolutely everything. And I just don't see that happening today."
Crucially, Rangers possessed a goalkeeper in Jack Butland who was in immovable form. The Englishman produced four outstanding saves when a Motherwell goal seemed inevitable, spectacularly atoning for his difficult afternoon at Tynecastle the previous week. He denied Callum Hendry and Elijah Just with superb reflexes, single-handedly keeping his team level.
An Unlikely Hero Emerges
After the break, Rohl's side improved marginally and found an unlikely match-winner in Thelo Aasgaard. The Norwegian midfielder, who has faced his share of criticism since arriving at Ibrox, was perfectly positioned to calmly slot home the rebound after Djeidi Gassama's shot was parried by Motherwell keeper Calum Ward.
It was the only goal of a contest that was oddly entertaining despite the scarcity of scoring. Rangers thought they had broken the deadlock earlier when Nico Raskin bundled home, but a VAR review ruled Youssef Chermiti offside in the build-up. Motherwell, for their part, felt aggrieved not to receive a penalty when Lukas Fadinger went down under a challenge from Manny Fernandez, but referee David Dickinson waved play on.
The Wider Premiership Picture
The victory, however scrappy, was non-negotiable for Rangers to capitalise on Hearts' defeat elsewhere. The three points keep them in the chasing pack, now nine points behind the Jambos with a game in hand. The mountain to climb remains steep, but the sense that the league is still within reach persists. At the season's midway point, Rangers are very much alive in the race—a scenario that seemed improbable just a few weeks ago.
For Motherwell and manager Jens Berthel Askou, this will feel like a major opportunity squandered. They were the superior side for long stretches, especially in the first half, controlling possession and carving Rangers open with ease. Fadinger, Ibrahim Said, and Hendry all had glorious chances, but a combination of Butland's excellence and poor finishing cost them dearly. Their lack of a clinical edge in the final third was the definitive story of their afternoon.
In the end, it wasn't pretty. It wasn't particularly convincing. But on a day where the result was all that mattered, Danny Rohl's Rangers found a way to get the job done, showcasing a gritty resilience that may prove invaluable in the months to come.
