‘Clean sheet mentality’ key in Rohl’s Rangers revival

Manager Danny Rohl enthused about many aspects of Rangers’ controlled 2-0 victory away to Aberdeen, including his side’s “clean sheet mentality”.

A fifth successive victory keeps Rangers three points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts.

Since Rohl took over in October, his side have shipped just eight goals in 14 league games, winning 11 of those, while keeping the opposition out on eight occasions.

Rangers kept one just one blank in Russell Martin’s seven Premiership games, a soporific Old Firm derby stalemate.

“We defended until the end and we got a clean sheet,” Rohl told RangersTV.

“This is the basis and if we do this again and again we will be in a fantastic way. Keep on the front foot, stay hungry, stay ambitious, and be humble in the right moments.”

In the wind and rain at Pittodrie, Aberdeen were limited to five efforts on target, with Jack Butland’s only save of note thwarting Leighton Clarkson in the first half.

“Big, big pride in my group, to come to a really tough place,” said Rohl in his post-match media conference. “We showed again different faces, which is what we need.

“We played good men’s football, we were ready in the duels, second balls.

“We understood when to play in behind, then we understand also to keep the ball in the right areas.

“The result was enjoyable, of course, it’s great to see.

“We were really focused until the end and it is outstanding what we have done, five wins in a row.”

Rangers solidity is all the more impressive when you consider first choice centre-backs John Souttar and Derek Cornelius have been missing.

The Canada international has been out since early November, while Souttar was absent for six matches.

However, it is no surprise that the Scotland defender’s return coincides with the current five-game winning run.

Souttar made a great early block from Nicolas Milanovic at Pittodrie and was constantly marshalling the backline, keeping the occasionally errant Emmanuel Fernandez close and focused.

Fernandez may be prone to the odd lapse but the 24-year-old, who was playing in England’s League One last season, is an imposing figure.

He has four goals from his run of 11 successive starts and was denied another by a debatable VAR review in Aberdeen.

A menace at set-pieces in the opposition box, he is handy at nodding them away at the other end too, and Nasser Djiga is likely to have to wait patiently on the bench now that he is back from the Africa Cup of Nations with Burkina Faso.

Injury denied Connor Barron a return to his former club and the tenacious midfielder is facing up to three months out after an impressive run of form.

Rangers made light of his absence as Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande dovetailed to do the dirty work and Thelo Aasgaard knocked in his third goal in five outings to get the ball rolling.

“Danny Rohl is squeezing every ounce out this squad,” remarked Motherwell’s former Ibrox player Andy Halliday on Sportscene.

“They weren’t spectacular but they looked so, so comfortable.”

A few hours before kick-off, Tochi Chukwuani was announced as the club’s first January recruit and he is expected to add muscle and pace in the middle of the park.

Other new faces are expected to follow.

“Tochi will bring a good physical side,” Rohl explained. “Big experience also in Europe.

“But it is also very important to understand, we have also a group today on the pitch. They worked really hard.

“They also deserve big, big credit. And this is exactly what we need. We need the challenge in some positions.

“But we have also to understand our development in the last 10-12 weeks. It is outstanding from some players.

“And again, look to Thelo. He scored again and he is the next one who goes in the right direction.”

Rohl has done a remarkable job steering Rangers on track and fans won’t care a jot if games are not spectacular if the clean sheets and wins keep coming.