We’ve had a few comments aimed at our rating for Ryan Jack yesterday, mostly from a number of fans riding the happy crest of the wave a 3-0 Rangers win over that lot leads to.
We don’t blame the fans who had a wee go, admittedly respectfully, for that 4/10, so we wanted to revisit the score and see if we were too harsh or if we stand by it.
Statistically, he was the worst-rated starter by well-respected stats site whoscored, who awarded him 6.37. Now, their scores are data-based, and result based – they will never give a player in a winning team a low score simply because he was part of a winning team. They also score it based on that player’s data. It’s completely objective.
And that Jack scored lower than Matondo who did absolutely nothing to seize his chance at Ibrox tells you how poorly the Scotland international fared.
So let’s be fair on Jack and look at his data:
He plays, as we know, as an 8 these days – so he’s more productive in the middle to last third. But in that sense, he managed just one key pass and a shot off-target. He also only gathered 23 touches of the ball in the entire match which was second-only to Matondo, in a harder position to be reached than Jacko.
His passing? 83% – more than fine. This was a solid number. He was disposed once, which in his position isn’t great – midfielders shouldn’t get caught on the ball. At all. It’s an unforced error because unless an opponent is pressing high, midfielders should really be very tight with possession. It nearly cost a goal in Jacko’s case.
Defensively he did absolutely nothing apart from three clearances – if in doubt, boot it out. But no interceptions, no tackles and no blocks. Which, in fairness, isn’t his job any more.
We think, on reflection, the data does show the 4 was harsh. And we’re willing to raise it a fraction. We’re torn between 5 and 6. He wasn’t good enough for a 6, really, and fractionally better than a 5. But as he’s one of us we’ll go 6. He certainly was not ‘outstanding’ as one chap tried to persuade us!
We will say that he will need to play a LOT better in the future – he’s clearly getting his new deal, but a 6 against Celtic just isn’t good enough. We know he’s better than this, or at least was, but his titanic performance at Easter Road was a long time ago now.
But let it not be said Ibrox Noise is stubborn and unwilling to listen to the readership.