Rangers 'fluid' attack discussed as Joe Aribo false nine attributes weighed up by former players

Without a recognised striker Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team selection was always going to look unorthodox in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final.

The official UEFA teamsheet shaped the Rangers team with Scott Wright through the middle of Rangers’ attack but it’s widely anticipated Joe Aribo will take up a ‘false nine’ position as the central withdrawn forward when the Scottish champions line up in Leipzig.

Flanked by Ryan Kent and Scott Wright, who keeps his place from Motherwell at the weekend, it is a new role for the Nigerian international but one he is best suited to of van Bronckhorst’s options available, says ex-Rangers striker Kenny Miller.

The Falkirk manager, a studio pundit for BT Sport, said: “In that false nine role, any one of the three could play it. I think Aribo might be best suited for it – you can get the ball into his feet and he’s very, very good at using his body and holding up the ball.

"On the sides with the pace of Kent and Wright when he does drop in there they can give that threat in behind. I think Aribo is best suited of the three.”

Weighing up the other selection speculation during the week Miller added: “Putting Kent through the middle, there had been rumours of him maybe playing there – I think he's best to out [wide], allowed to roam, going one-v-one. If he can isolate people he’s a real threat.”

Alan Hutton, another former Ibrox star in the studio, agreed there are threats but expects to see interchange as Rangers seek a goal in Germany and a positive start to their two-legged tie which returns to Ibrox next week.

Joe Aribo forms one third of Rangers unorthodox attack in Germany this evening. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)

The former Rangers and Spurs right-back added: “I think they can be fluid in the attack and they will rotate at times and try to make it difficult for the Leipzig defence.

“[Aribo] is the guy who can hold the ball up of the three of them, but he will want runners off him. When you have pace, Wright has shown that recently and we know Kent can – there are threats there.”