Askou praises “defensive platform” ahead of Rangers clash

Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou believes his side’s balance is a key component to their defensive stability this season in the Scottish Premiership. Speaking ahead of their home clash with Rangers on Wednesday evening, Askou was full of praise for his “disciplined” side. “First of all, as long as we have the ball, it’s difficult for the opposition to score unless we put it in the back of the net ourselves, which we haven’t done,” “The other thing is, if we have the ball a lot, they spend a lot of energy on chasing it and defending against us. If we then pose a threat at the same time, then they spend even more energy on trying to make sure we don’t create chances and score goals. “The lift in our attacking side of the game has made the opposition spend even more energy. And sometimes, they change things up from what they usually do, both in terms of approach but also formation, which makes it more difficult to perform at their best.” With high praise for his side’s attack and defence, the Dane pointed out goalkeeper Calum Ward, who continues to enhance his game behind the forward flair. “We’ve also got a goalie who’s just gotten better and better, showing a really high level with his passing under pressure from day one,” Askou said. “He’s also improved fantastically with his normal goalkeeping skills in terms of stopping the opposition from scoring, making saves, and getting out of the box.” “It’s about balance between having the ball, being good in attack and then being defensively solid, aggressive, intense, well-structured, disciplined at the same time. “That is something we have been working on every day since we started, and it’s given us a very stable defensive platform, especially here.” The statistics behind the Steelmen’s rise highlight Askou’s imprint on this galvanised squad, holding the most Premiership clean sheets in the league with 13, and conceding just 5 goals at Fir Park all season. Their home dominance is amplified considering Falkirk were the last visiting team to score a goal against them, on October 18th 2025. That match against the Bairns was also the only home defeat of the season. The likes of Celtic, Hibs, Dundee United, and Aberdeen have all failed to pick up points at Fir Park. December’s 2-0 over Nancy’s Celtic caught the attention of the entire country, as Askou’s men bullied and toyed with the dismal visiting side. It remains to be seen how far this reinvigorated team can go, but with top goalscorer Tawanda Maswanhise still in the ranks, and defensive stalwart Stephen Welsh returning on loan, the remaining five months of the season could yet turn out memorable at Motherwell. They remain in the Scottish Cup mix, and their red-hot domestic form may encourage fans to dream of lifting silverware for the first time since 1991.