If one player has had a worse season than most, it’s the currently ineffectual Ryan Kent. Whether it’s the Leeds stories or rumours about his personal life, something has definitely got to the former Liverpool man and he looks a pale shadow of his normal self and isn’t working anything like we know he can.
Kent was electric last season, filled with dynamic vigour – and when he dipped a little, he got dropped, before returning with a vengeance in Belgium to nail a stunning solo goal.
But that was last season, and this squad cannot live on 55. As Stevie said, 55 is history, and it is.
And so far while this season does have some players who ARE delivering (more on that later) many more like Kent simply aren’t.
Ibrox Noise’s Derek was thrilled with the Oldham-born winger in recent seasons, believing his energy and workrate to be a motivator to the others, and the more they saw his urgency and hunger, the more it lifted those around him.
Well, whether the absence of these things is having the opposite effect and dragging the others down, doesn’t really matter – Kent’s lack of spunk and effort is noticeable, and even Stevie G, who normally sticks by his favourites come rain or shine, dragged him off at half time.
Now, there’s a potential caveat – Kent did pull up early in this one, with some kind of apparent tweak, before carrying on as normal. So he could have been carrying something.
But it doesn’t detract he’s been much the same in previous matches this season. Very flat and looking a bit distracted.
We reiterate – we are huge fans of this kid, considering him the most dangerous attacker in Scotland when on form.
But that isn’t right now, and he’s a major distance off where he wants to be, to hit that kind of level again.
He’s one who needs a bit of time out, and we only have to look at Scott Wright’s second half cameo in his place to see the difference the substitute was able to make compared with the man he replaced.
Whether Stevie can bring himself to make those changes only time will tell.
I can’t imagine us going into the Ceptic game without Kent. Or Tavernier and Morelos who have also been stinking this season.
Scott Wright did more in 60seconds of the restart than Kent had done all game. Last time Kent got dropped he returned a world beater. Now could be the perfect time to give him a bit of time out the side especially with the Old Firm coming up. That is his game after all.
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