We all love a stat, but stats without context can mislead. The simple point here is this: appearances, starts and match roles matter. When he was mainly a sub or not in the squad, the numbers looked worse. Since he’s started more his ratings have improved.
Starts versus substitute minutes
To be fair, coming off the bench is a different gig. Short minutes, limited time to influence the game, and often coming on when the team is chasing things. The player in question didn't arrive until deadline day and didn't make his debut until 13 September, so any August averages are irrelevant for him. Up to the end of November he was a sub in six of seven games and twice not even in the squad. You can see why his ratings would lag in that period.
December onwards – the improvement
From December he started more regularly - three starts and three sub appearances in that spell - and his ratings ticked up. In January and February he started six of eight matches, missing the other two through injury. That sustained run of starts is exactly what you want to judge a player on: consistent minutes and responsibility in the side rather than isolated cameos.
Why averages can hide the story
Averages flatten peaks and troughs. A couple of tough games against Hearts and Celtic will drag an average down, even if the rest of the run is positive. But when the balance shifts from bench appearances to starts, the trend in ratings matters more than a single monthly figure. So yes, look at the numbers – but break them down by starts, substitute minutes and the context of the competitions he played in. That gives you a fairer, more accurate read.
As fans on Rangers News Views often point out: be precise when judging. It’s not about defending blindly, more about being honest with the data we use.
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