“We’re confident in our ability”: Why Rangers are currently taking the SWPL 1 by storm – tactical analysis

There are many women’s football leagues around Europe that perhaps don’t attract as much attention as others, with fans understandably concentrating on major divisions like the WSL, Serie A Femminile, Liga F (as Spain’s Primera División will now be called), Division 1 Féminine and the Frauen Bundesliga. However, for those looking for a developing league in the women’s game to keep an eye on, the Scottish game is definitely worth the effort.

The current 2022/2023 campaign is the first since the league was taken over by the SPFL, with more teams added to both the SWPL 1 and SWPL 2 divisions since last season and more significant broadcasting deals signed in order to bring them to more people.

Last season was one of the most exciting editions of the SWPL in recent memory, with Rangers Women claiming their first league title and ending Glasgow City’s 14-year grip on the trophy in the process. Malky Thomson’s side have gained a reputation for playing attractive football that has proven difficult to break down, with 25 of their 27 games last season ending in wins, whilst the other two were drawn. They also netted a colossal 97 times in total, whilst conceding just 11.

As a result, there was plenty of excitement surrounding them in pre-season, with many hoping that they could maintain this high standard and be part of another closely contested title fight, and this tactical analysis will show why they have so far not been disappointed. The scout report will break down some of the key elements of their attacking and defensive play, focusing specifically on the speed at which they move the ball forwards, their pressing when out of possession and the many ways in which their defensive midfielder is central to their tactics.

Playing forwards

The first aspect of Rangers Women’s game to examine in this analysis is the way that they move the ball up the field, with many teams finding it almost impossible to prevent them from creating goalscoring opportunities, and there is no doubt that a lot of their current success is built on this.

It has become commonplace to see Rangers set up with a stretched defensive line when in possession, as is the case here against Hamilton Academical Women. By positioning Scotland full-backs Nicola Docherty and Rachel McLauchlan as close to the sidelines as possible, Rangers create width in attack and can move the ball around the pitch at speed, whether that is with a sideways or forward pass, giving them the best possible opportunity of progressing play and creating goalscoring chances.

However, whilst this is essential to their style of play, it is the two centre-backs who are worth looking at here because a lot of teams prefer to keep these players in their own half as a way of protecting against a possible counterattack. Rangers, however, like to have all ten outfield players in the opposing half, which is why Hannah Davison and French summer signing Lisa Martinez are so high up the field here.