There’s no getting away from it: the lad’s got ability. You don’t need to be a scout to see the touch, the link play, the moments where it clicks and you think, right, there’s a player in there. But the bit that’s tested the patience of a lot of Rangers fans hasn’t really been technique. It’s been the hunger. The aggression. The willingness to make it a scrap when the game needs it.
It’s the fight that’s been missing
At times, it’s looked like he’s playing the match while others are competing in it. Harsh? Maybe. But it’s hard to ignore those moments where he gets outmuscled by somebody smaller, or a ball drops and their defender wants it more. In Scotland, especially, that’s the quickest way to get written off. Not because supporters don’t appreciate talent, but because we’ve all watched plenty of talented players get swallowed up when the tempo goes up a gear.
He can combine, he can set it, and he can bring others into play. That’s the positive. The frustration is that he sometimes looks a yard short in the battles that decide whether you actually keep pressure on teams, or whether the move just dies and you’re running back the other way.
The price tag will always hang over it
The other thing, of course, is the cost. When you spend the best part of £10m on a prospect, you’re not just buying potential, you’re buying expectation. That might be fine for clubs swimming in money, but Rangers aren’t in that bracket, and supporters know it. It’s why every quiet spell gets magnified.
And it’s also why folk compare. Shankland on a free gets mentioned because it’s the obvious “what if?” that never really goes away, and it stings even more when you remember players elsewhere can be picked up for buttons and still cause you serious problems, like Varga at Ferencváros. Value for money becomes part of the conversation, whether the player likes it or not.
If he’s the 9, Rangers have to support him properly
Truth is, we are where we are. If he’s going to be our number nine, then play him there and give him the platform to flourish. One thing that stands out is how rarely he loses a header. That’s a real weapon, but it’s only a weapon if Rangers are set up to pick up the pieces.
That means the 10, if we’re using one, or the inside forward, often Moore, has to be right in and around him. Close enough to gamble on flick-ons, close enough for second balls, close enough to turn a decent aerial win into an actual chance. Otherwise you’re just launching it up, winning the first contact, and still losing the move.
Give us a bit more bite from him, and give him better runners off him, and you might finally see the version of this player that justifies all the patience.
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Rangers News Views offers daily Glasgow Rangers coverage including match reaction, transfer analysis, SPFL context, tactical breakdowns and opinion-led articles written by supporters for supporters.
