How Leaky Rangers Shut Up Shop Against Bilbao

Rangers were reeling from 5 successive location defeats anterior to nan presence of Athletic Bilbao successful nan first limb of their Europa League quarter-final.

Facing nan squad sitting 4th successful La Liga pinch 1 of nan continent's hottest properties - Nico Williams - connected nan wing, galore worried astir nan fragility of nan Ibrox backmost line, missing nan suspended John Souttar.

Those concerns intensified pursuing a reddish paper for Robin Propper aft conscionable 13 minutes.

Yet, acknowledgment to a protect masterclass and nan heroics of keeper Liam Kelly, who replaced Jack Butland successful goal, Barry Ferguson's broadside kept a cleanable sheet against each odds.

Rangers will recreation to nan northbound of Spain adjacent week pinch a chance of progressing to nan semi-finals against opponents who person now endured 3 goalless draws successful a row.

But really did they do it?

Ferguson was furious aft his broadside mislaid 2-0 to Hibernian astatine Ibrox connected Saturday and suggested changes were afoot.

He was arsenic bully arsenic his word. Six players were replaced from that showing and nan main talking constituent was nan man successful betwixt nan sticks.

Former England world Butland has been nether expanding scrutiny aft immoderate high-profile blunders and Ferguson yet swapped his goalkeepers - a determination he called "one of nan toughest" he has ever made.

Yet nan large telephone paid disconnected arsenic Kelly, making conscionable his eighth quality since returning to nan nine from Motherwell, made a fewer smart saves earlier stopping a Alex Berenguer punishment successful nan 2nd half.

"All nan chat earlier nan crippled was astir Liam Kelly and he's done himself truthful proud," said erstwhile Rangers striker Steven Thompson connected Sportsound.

"He's a leader. He'll person been emotion monolithic pressure, but erstwhile you get fixed nan chance, you've sewage to return it and he's done that.

"You can't return him retired nan squad now. That was a heroic performance. Not conscionable nan punishment save, his distribution was good, his bid of his container was good."

Former Scotland striker Steven Naismith agreed, saying: "Kelly is Rangers' number 1 now."

The backmost 4 successful nan nonaccomplishment to Hibs achieved an unwanted feat - conceding 2 aliases much goals successful six successive convention fixtures for nan first clip since 1894.

It is simply a long-winded measurement of saying that Rangers person been leaking goals and person often fixed themselves a upland to climb.

It looked for illustration that mightiness hap again aft Propper's dismissal.

However, Naismith suggested nan dismissal ironically mightiness person had a affirmative effect.

"The daze of nan reddish paper early connected could person changed nan dynamic. There's been a siege mentality, america v them, and that's galvanised Rangers.

"They played a constrictive 4-4-1, wanting Athletic to play information them. Man for man, everybody is buying in."

Initially lining up successful a backmost 3 of Dujon Sterling, Propper and Leon Balogun, Rangers were forced to revert to a backmost four, but they looked importantly much settled than successful caller weeks.

On nan right, James Tavernier was tasked pinch marking Nico Williams and nan skipper would person been a contender for nan man of nan lucifer grant earlier Kelly's punishment stop.

"He gets a batch of disapproval for his defending, but his defending against Fenerbahce and Bilbao has been exceptional," erstwhile team-mate Andy Halliday said.

"He's up against a feline weighted astatine £75m and he's made Nico Williams look for illustration nan poorest subordinate connected nan pitch. James Tavernier ne'er gave him immoderate change."

Losing a subordinate truthful early meant nan hosts were ever going to beryllium up against it, but they weathered nan large wind good pinch nan eventual squad performance.

They made 39 clearances, 20 tackles and kept their subject - moreover pinch 9 men connected nan transportation successful nan last fewer minutes pursuing Sterling's injury.

It was nan "proper Rangers performance" Ferguson had been hoping for.

"That's nan nonstop guidance I wanted," he said. "That's what I said astir connected Monday and nan players showed a capacity afloat of heart, grit and determination."

Nico Raskin and 18-year-old Bailey Rice - making only his 2nd commencement - were organised successful midfield.

Behind them, Balogun and Sterling dealt pinch nan imposing threat of Maroan Sannadi, while connected nan wings, Ianis Hagi and Vaclav Cerny tracked backmost to thief cover.

Up front, Cyriel Dessers fought to triumph free-kicks while feeding disconnected scraps.

Kelly, nan leader of nan hour, was besides speedy to praise his team-mates.

"I ne'er really had overmuch to do successful nan game," he suggested. "Once we went down to 10 men, nan guys successful beforehand of maine were perfectly brilliant.

"I conscionable wanted to thief nan team, I don't really attraction astir me."

That mentality, 1 of togetherness, is what we person seen connected galore European nights astatine Ibrox. Rangers must excavation heavy to find it again successful Bilbao adjacent week.