Rangers News

Laudrup predicts Gers star to get “better and better” after adapting to Gerrard’s tactical change

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Rangers legend, Brian Laudrup, has predicted big things for Ryan Kent this season after being impressed with his first competitive game of the season, the former Liverpool forward was one of Steven Gerrard’s most influential players in pre-season.

The great Dane who knows only too well the weight of expectancy placed on the shoulders of a creative player in the famous Light Blue shirt has backed the £7.5million man to show exactly why the Gers gaffer paid so much for him, writing in his column in the Daily Mail.

Laudrup appreciates that it wasn’t just an horrific hamstring tear that saw Kent miss almost half the season, or the lack of a proper pre-season that contributed to his struggles last term, however, if he added assists to a scoring rate of a goal every three games the England youth international wouldn’t be far from hitting the targets expected of him.

The Gers legend pinpoints the subtle change in Kent’s role as the biggest factor for his form last season, adjusting from being an out-and-out winger to an inside forward or one of two number 10s that Michael Beale confirmed Gerrard’s side plays with:

“So much has changed for Ryan Kent over the past year. Adapting to it all has taken time, and brought some tough lessons, but I’m convinced his evolution as a footballer will deliver big rewards for Rangers this season.

“Saturday was a perfect start in that respect. A decisive goal and a strong, intelligent performance made Kent one of the key players in the 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

“He’s gifted, no doubt about that. Some of the criticism last season was that he was too far from goal and I know that feeling of frustration, when you want to go deeper to get involved in the game.

“With more experience comes patience. I think we will see a version of Kent this season who becomes better and better about seeing exactly where and when to use his weapons.”

The Dane, who now works as a pundit, focusses on the role that Kent now has for his former club, looking at his relationship with Alfredo Morelos in particular and how it differs from the one he had previously in an insightful piece of analysis – a welcome change to the sensationalised nonsense that usually floods the Scottish media.

Will Kent come good this season?

Yes

No

No

Laudrup is clearly a fan of Gerrard’s most expensive signing – and second in Rangers history – and it will be hoped that the 23-year old can have the same impact as the great man himself in delivering what Gers fans crave the most – silverware, and more importantly, title number 55.

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