Rangers’ resurgence under head coach Danny Rohl has been one of the stories of the Scottish Premiership season, and set-pieces are proving to be a vital weapon in their climb up the table.
When Rohl arrived at Ibrox in October, few expected a genuine title challenge. But after back-to-back victories over Celtic and Aberdeen, Rangers now sit three points clear of their Old Firm rivals and just three behind league leaders Hearts, albeit having played a game more.
Central to this turnaround has been their increasing efficiency from dead-ball situations. Since the appointment of set-piece coach Scott Fry in November, Rangers have scored seven goals from corners in just 10 league games.
Fry, formerly of Lincoln City where his team led League One with 30 set-piece goals last season, has made an immediate impact in Glasgow. When Rangers win a corner or free-kick, Rohl typically steps back from the touchline as Fry takes control of set-piece execution. That strategy is paying off.
Tuesday’s 2–0 win over Aberdeen was the latest example. Both goals came from corners delivered by Connor Barron, with Emmanuel Fernandez and Nicolas Raskin each heading home to secure three points. The towering Fernandez has now scored four league goals this season, three of them match-winners, after struggling for game time early in the campaign.
Rangers have now scored 12 goals from set-pieces this term, trailing only Hearts and Dundee United in that category. No team has scored more set-piece goals than Rangers since Fry’s arrival.
With opposition teams often sitting deep and compact against them, Rangers are finding critical breakthroughs from dead-ball situations. They are already just one goal shy of matching their total set-piece goals from each of the last two seasons.
As the title race intensifies, those small margins may prove decisive. While Rohl continues to steer the squad with tactical clarity and renewed belief, it is the impact of set-plays, led by Fry, that is quietly underpinning Rangers’ unexpected title charge.
