Former Celtic midfielder, Kris Commons, has been speaking about his favourite subject once again – Rangers – and this time has turned his attention to Ianis Hagi for criticism after his subdued start to the season.
Commons, writing in The Daily Mail, and reported by The Scottish Sun, claims that Steven Gerrard will be expecting more from the Romanian international.
So what has Commons said?
When reflecting on Rangers 0-0 draw against Livingston at the weekend and the lack of of invention shown by the Light Blues, he said:
“Rangers simply didn’t create enough clear-cut chances to win the game.
“It begs the question: what exactly is Ianis Hagi bringing to the table just now?
“Hagi was hooked on the opening day against Aberdeen after contributing next to nothing and he was taken off again yesterday after an hour.
“He has zero goals and zero assists so far this season and has been a peripheral figure in all four of Rangers’ league matches.
“They forked out £4m to sign him. In tight games like we saw against Livingston yesterday, he was supposed to be the man who can unlock doors.
“But he’s not living up to the fee and the investment that Rangers made in him. Gerrard is entitled to demand more.”
So is Commons correct?
For a player who retired not that long ago, he isn’t half out of touch with the modern game. In an ideal world, Hagi will be scoring goals and creating chances every game but at the moment is being targeted by opposition defences and he has to find a way to combat that.
Does Hagi need to contribute more?
Yes
No
What Commons fails to acknowledge is that Hagi has been involved in Rangers goals this season, his dummy against Aberdeen allowed Alfredo Morelos the space to play in Ryan Kent for the winner and against St Johnstone, it was his pass that played in Borna Barisic to cross for Kent for the decisive second goal on the stroke of half-time, he also set-up Morelos against St Mirren on two occasions but the Colombian was unable to capitalise – to say he has done nothing is just plain ignorant.
We have all seen what he is capable, but at the moment he isn’t firing on all cylinders even though he has shown flashes of his potential, perhaps Commons should re-direct his attention towards his old pal “Lenny” and the money he spent on Patryk Klimala and Ismaila Soro in January – a reported £5.5million and barely a handful of appearances between them.