Watching Glen Kamara and Ryan Jack play square passes, or even worse, turn and go backwards, when they have good possession in our opponents box will never not be annoying.
What makes things worse is that former Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo is topping the Premier League’s statistics when it comes to shot accuracy, with the Nigerian international hitting an impressive 66% of his efforts on target – highlighting exactly what we have been missing this season.
Joe Aribo has the best shot accuracy in the Premier League this season (min 10+ shots attempted):
◉ 12 shots
◉ 8 shots on target
◉ 2 goalsHitting the target 66.7% of the time. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/SH4NxHeJeF
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 21, 2022
Aribo could be guilty of taking too many touches or trying to beat a player again to get onto his favoured left foot, however, he at least had good intentions, with Kamara and Jack – despite both having shown that they can finish in the past – there is an inherent reluctance to shoot that they are too old to grow out of now.
To compound the issue, the player brought in to replace Aribo’s output has been injured after making an impressive start to his career.
Tom Lawrence, with three goals and two assists in nine league games, was showing an even greater potential than Aribo before suffering a cruel double injury that sees him out until January. How our midfield could do with him back now.
Scott Arfield is a very useful impact sub, as he showed against Aberdeen, but he just doesn’t have the same effect when used from the start, Michael Beale’s biggest challenge over the coming weeks and especially in the Old Firm is getting a midfield that can control the tempo of the game but also retain a goal threat – easier said than done with Lawrence and Ianis Hagi still a few weeks away from fitness.