One man may have ‘cost’ Rangers the Champions League

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One man may have ‘cost’ Rangers the Champions League
LIVINGSTON, SCOTLAND - JULY 30: Giovanni van Bronckhorst Manager of Rangers looks during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Livingston FC and Rangers FC at Tony Macaroni Arena on July 30, 2022 in Livingston, United Kingdom. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

After last night’s atrocity, the post-mortem begins, and we at Ibrox Noise cannot help but reaffirm something we’ve preached for years, and which so few readers have ever bought, but which for us, hugely, was proven last night.

If one man has made a huge difference to Rangers and been consistently delivering in Europe, he is also the same man who raises the level of those around him and makes the other players work harder.

Yes, Ryan Kent’s absence last night shone like a beacon, and after the pre-match arrogance from many fans who dismissed his injury (one told us to ‘grow a pair’) and decided we had enough to cope without him, we wonder if there’s any reconsideration to that view.

Kent is quick, mobile, dynamic, and a very hard worker – and seeing Rangers without him last night showed just how dramatically the team’s workrate dips when he’s not in the team.

In order to link up with him, to feed him, to interchange with him, the rest of the side has to keep up with him, has to read his movements.

Remove Kent and you deeply hamstring Rangers, and we cannot remember the last match he missed that our side played well in.

Tillman was his replacement but was a lot more central than Kent would be, and that removed an entire threat from the left side – it also reduced the workrate considerably all-round.

Can you remember the last time Rangers played this lethargically, this meekly? We can – it was that period last season when he was injured and Scott Wright took his place. Honest player, but no Kent.

Last night was a subtle hint that Kent is integral to Rangers’ play, to our tactics, and to how hard we work. Remove him, it hurts the players’ workrate because they’re not searching for him, not looking for his runs, not linking with him.

Did his injury potentially cost the CL? No, the performance from those who ‘showed up’ did, but the reason they didn’t show up is significantly related to his absence.

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11 COMMENTS

  1. Good talking points but not the reason imo that we were so poor. We know those who let us down Goldson, Mclaughlin, Kamara , Barasic so poor and un caring . Gio got his selection and set up/system wrong . We need Kent yes with Morelos , Arfield , Davis winners with winning mentality .

  2. Yes Kent was missed big time,no class in that team lastnight,hopefully he ready for return match
    WATP🇬🇧

  3. Well said bill b not only a winning mentality but players who really care and understand the privilage it is to represent this great club. Its time the likes of goldson and kamara where put on the side lines and gave players who care a chance.

    • I would sell them two players tomorrow , the only way they can play is side ways . Could not believe that Rangers give Goldson a new contract?? ,as for Kamara ! no comment on the way he is playing for us, he has no interest in Rangers! time to get rid of him 👎 Shankill Ray ✋

  4. I agree re Kent he is vital to the side and yes just remember our performances when he has been out last night classic example what wrong when Kent not playing Barasic gets no help Kamara is lazy and in my opinion never been good enough he plays so far inside leaves huge gaps down the flanks normally Kent comes back to help out but no one last night and in defence if Barasic why does he always have the makeshift left centre his side Sands is never a centre half why not play the natural left footed man and why play three defensive .idfielders no attacking playmaker again disgraceful

  5. Hmmmm, it’s easy to say this player underperformed and that player under performed. We were missing, Morales, Hagi, Kent and Roofe! No side could play well with a full front line missing, The bottom line is that our new signings up front were poor! Motando and Coliac wouldn’t get a game if all those players were fit. Lawrence isn’t the answer to replace Aribo, Davis And Yildas aren’t the answer to placing Bassey! Unfortunately I think our injured front line and our poor transfer dealings have cost us.

  6. What a performance are we surprised? Within a team of eleven last night we had a change in goalkeeper,Three new faces up front, wing king Kent missing,no strength at the back as Calvin has moved on,and our talisman Aribo(remember the final)gone.There is no escape from team selection either R.jack weak,Kamara too many sideways passes when more drive reqd in transition moments.Am I surprised NO disappointed YES.

  7. Kent was playing against Livvy though and we were still bad. Our defence is problem on top of we cant seem to feed our CF, mabay Itten was gd enough and Colaks just getting the same Service that Itten did and makes him look bad.

  8. To be honest Questions need to be asked of the tactics, and that is the responsibility of the manager. GVB sat there with his arms folded and saw the same performance as the rest of us, but was still far too slow to react. Something he has been guilty of in the past.
    The honeymoon is over Gio, and it’s time to recreate the playing style we showed at Dortmund, that had us sweeping out from the back, not these negative little triangles in our own half which simply frustrate the fans.

  9. The whole Rangers team didn’t turn up , iff they don’t get there act together soon!! we will be in big trouble.Celtic are having a laugh with the way we are playing at the moment . Rangers players need to be playing for the shirt , or put the whole team on the sub bench, and let Linfield play instead.At least they play for the shirt. Shankill Ray

  10. What load of crap every team has an off day wait till we get them back to Ibrox it will be a different story then. If you can’t back the team during the bad game bugger you bunch of glory hunters. In Gio we trust

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