Both of Boro’s goals in their 2-2 draw at Ibrox came from set-pieces, with Neto Borges stabbing home from a corner in the first half before Dael Fry added a second goal after the interval after a free-kick had been swung to the back post.
Edwards has spent time with his coaches working on set-pieces, and was pleased to see Boro’s players putting some of their pre-rehearsed routines into action at the weekend.
He wants to see his side offering more of a threat from open play in their remaining two friendlies – [[Boro]] head to Hartlepool United tomorrow before hosting Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday – but expects set-pieces to form a key part of their attacking arsenal this season.
“We have worked hard on it,” said the Boro boss. “But I’m sure they [Michael Carrick and his staff] would have done before us too. Sometimes that’s just the way it goes, and I don’t want to appear as though I’m criticising anything that came before us.
“I’m sure they did work hard on it before, but it’s nice for us to get those rewards. It’s nice to be able to score all types of goals.
“We had a perfectly good goal ruled out in the first half [at Rangers] for TC [Tommy Conway] as well. It should have been 2-0 at half-time because he’s onside, no doubt about it.
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“So, I do want us to start scoring more from open play as well, start taking our chances. Because we are getting a lot of them and getting into good areas as well.
“I want us to be more ruthless. But, if we have to go away from home and leave with a 1-0 win from a set-piece, then I want us to be able to do that as well.”
The work on set-pieces has been a collaborative effort, with Edwards and his coaching staff devising a series of plans in conjunction with members of Boro’s first-team squad.
“It’s a collective,” continued Edwards. “H [Hayden Hackney] will be heavily involved in it. Fetts [Alan Fettis] is involved, Adi [Viveash] is involved and then Jason [Taylor – set-play analyst] in terms of the analysis side of it as well.
“So, it is a collective. That can’t be just one person doing that role. You need help.”
