There’s a familiar debate at Ibrox right now: you watch a full-back and think, “he’s lost a yard,” then you glance at the figures and he’s apparently among the most productive in his role. And honestly, both things can be true at the same time.

The stat line being quoted is pretty striking. 42 chances created, 11 of them classed as big chances, yet only 3 assists. On top of that, the comparisons to other full-backs are flattering: more chance creation than 99% of his peers, aerial duels better than 76%, defensive contributions 74%, and touches up there with the very top end too.

Chance creation is only half the job

The bit that jumps out isn’t even the “legs have gone” argument, it’s the gap between chances and assists. If you’re putting good balls into good areas and the returns are still low, you start asking awkward questions elsewhere.

Is the movement in the box sharp enough? Are runners attacking the space with conviction? Are we taking an extra touch when it should be first time? Rangers have had spells where we can build decent positions then turn it into a tame finish, or a shot that hits the first man, or a cross that nobody gambles on. That doesn’t show up as an assist for the creator, but it absolutely changes how fans judge him in real time.

Throw-ins: an underused weapon?

The original point about throw-ins is a good one. How many big chances do we actually create directly from throw-ins? Most teams treat them like a pause in play, but they can be a quick route into the final third if you’re brave and well-drilled.

If a full-back is heavily involved in our possession and touches, he’s probably involved in a lot of our throw-in sequences too. The question is whether we’re just recycling the ball and letting the opposition set, or whether we’re using that moment to create an overload, get a runner in behind, or at least force a proper scramble. It’s fine keeping the ball, but it’s better making it hurt.

The eyes have it... but so do the patterns

To be fair, supporters aren’t imagining it when they say a player looks a bit past his peak. Full-back is brutal. If you can’t recover as quickly or you hesitate before sprinting, it’s obvious in the stands.

But numbers like that also suggest something else: he might be doing a lot of the right things in the phases Rangers actually control. Getting on the ball, progressing play, competing in the air, and producing chances. If the end product isn’t being finished, or the team’s attacks are predictable once we reach the final third, the “eye test” can end up blaming the wrong culprit.

Truth is, it might not be about picking a side between eyes and data. It might be about using both to work out why decent work is turning into so little reward.

Written by Angus1812: 20 January 2026

Tags: squad