Ryan Kent has looked a lot more like his old self in recent weeks, getting past defenders, playing closer to our central striker and being unlucky to score with efforts cleared off the line or blocked on the way to goal, however, with one goal all season, he still has a long way to go before every fan will be happy to see him offered a new contract.
There is one area of his game that doesn’t appear to have been affected by missing a large chunk of pre-season training with a hamstring injury, his creativity is as effective as it has been throughout his time at the club.
With five assists in 10 league games he has a more than respectable return but it is his place at the top of the charts for play-makers that is more impressive – his numbers could have been even better if his teammates had taken their chances more regularly.
Premiership 2022-23: Top Chance Creators 🏴
🥇 Ryan Kent (@RangersFC)
🥈 James Tavernier (@RangersFC)
🥉 John Lundstram (@RangersFC) pic.twitter.com/C8EsKHoHAF— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 4, 2022
Despite Celtic’s much vaunted, swashbuckling, “Angeball”, Rangers have four players in the top seven to their one. The perception is that we are lacking in creativity and that several key players have dropped below their normal levels, and yet, it is three players who have come under the most friendly fire who are top of the list.
Statistics don’t paint the full picture of course but what it does suggest is that we aren’t far away, especially when you consider the number of injuries we have had to contend with an upturn in form after the World Cup should be expected rather than a surprise.
Rangers forwards are always judged on their end product and Kent will know, as he has been told by Giovanni van Bronckhorst, that he has to contribute more to the goals for column – if he does, a new contract will be warmly accepted by the Light Blues faithful.