Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo played in an unfamiliar role at Ibrox earlier this month.
Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo has told the Glasgow Evening Times that he actually enjoyed playing in his wider position against Celtic.
The Gers hosted Celtic in the first Old Firm derby of the season earlier this month, with many expecting to see Steven Gerrard’s side really push to lay own a marker against the Bhoys.
Rangers fell flat though, losing 2-0 as Odsonne Edouard and Jonny Hayes found the net for Celtic, and Gerrard was criticised for his tactical approach.
Despite Celtic fielding two new full backs in Hatem Abd Elhamed and Boli Bolingoli, Gerrard went with two ‘narrow’ wingers in Aribo and Scott Arfield.
Rangers had no pace in their side, no width in attack and struggled to really get at Celtic’s back line, forcing Gerrard to bring on Sheyi Ojo and Jordan Jones.
Rangers fans slated Aribo’s performance in that game, with the playmaker looking woefully out of position, and he was moved back to his central role at half time with the experiment seemingly going wrong.
Now though, Aribo may have surprised some Rangers fans by claiming that he actually enjoyed playing in that wider, more advanced role, giving Gerrard an indication that he’d be willing to play there again.
Whether that happens is another matter, and Rangers fans may not want to see it again, but he has analysed his own performance in the aim of improving off the back of the defeat.
“I enjoy playing in the position I played in that day,” said Aribo. “The game didn’t go for us and it was just one of those days but we just have to come back stronger. You have to analyse your performance whether you win or lose and I definitely looked over that performance with the aim of improving,” he added.
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