I watched Rangers vs Motherwell from press box: Three things I spotted as Wimmer schools Ferguson in big win

Motherwell clinched an outstanding 2-1 away to Rangers in their latest Premiership match.

12 months on from a famous win at Ibrox, the Fir Park side were looking for another and an impressive second win of the Michael Wimmer. He asked for bravery post-match and his high-pressing style of play certainly puts such a mantra to the test away to one of Scotland’s top two.

Barry Ferguson’s first match in the dugout as interim Rangers manager brought an added edge of home crowd excitement. But their visitors brought the fear factor with a mix of pressing in the Rangers half, calmness on the ball and the abiulity to slow the game down at their will.

There was zero trepidation and a first half hour of utter brilliance. Jack Butland might have gifted Luke Armstrong the chance to tap home after spilling the ball but it was worked to that point by Kai Andrews doing brilliantly to aid winning the ball in the home final third, Dan Casey forcing a shot and the Carlisle United loanee doing the rest.

One VAR check later and Nick Walsh sparked scenes of delight in the away end but after 10 minutes gone, there was still so much time to go. Only one team looked like scoring in the first half-hour and so it proved, with Callum Slattery teeing up Tom Sparrow to give Motherwell a wholly deserved cushion that had Ibrox up in waves of anger in the stands and on the touchline as Ferguson booted every ball as his side toiled.

Cyriel Dessers got a goal back as the Light Blues made three half-time changes an Motherwell got inevatibly deeper. The same happened against Dundee due to the sheer amount of effort that had been put in but they were still standing firm and managing to buy fouls, which proved small nuggets of energy.

The obvious bombardment came as Ellery Balcombe was forced into action and Ewan Wilson almost put the ball in his own net mere seconds after coming on. But they held on for another famous win at Ibrox, victory clinched on their last two Govan visits, and a rocket put under top six hopes. I watched the game from the press box at Ibrox. Here are three things I spotted.

Y

This was an absolute schooling. A clinic. Ferguson who’s only managed in the lower leagues prior to taking this job on, up against a man who’s coached in the Bundesliga and Austrian top flight. Wimmer found a way to totally nulify whatever it was Ferguson was trying to do in the first half and even when the players legs turned weary, adjusted so that Rangers in reality didn’t cause too many wholesale changes. A very, very promising debut week for the new gaffer.

Dark arts

One thing Motherwell had to adapt after the game against Dundee was fitness levels. It was clear they were gassed after a half and they stood tall, dug deep and found energy from somewhere to win. Here, the played more into the dark arts of winning fouls and slowing the game down to ensure legs were saved and this allowed them to see out the second half with a bit more ease.

Super Slatts

It’s hard not to be made up for Slattery after the hellish year he’s had with injury. He was the main man in the first half and was a one-man wrecking ball in midfield as Rangers were left unable to stop him. Paired with Miller’s classy passing and Andrews’ all action style, a dash of Andy Halliday calmness and Wimmer has some midfield brewing.