HEAVEN KENT
Creativity of Light Blues star Ryan shows just why he’s so valuable to Gerrard right now
RANGERS showed there can be life without Alfredo Morelos. But life without Ryan Kent might be a whole lot harder.
While Lille looked to have turned the Colombian’s head to such an extent Steven Gerrard left him at home at the weekend, Leeds don’t seem to have had the same effect on Kent.
The Light Blues winger produced a performance that showed exactly why Marcelo Bielsa wants him in Yorkshire.
Kent was the sharpest, most inventive player on show against Kilmarnock.
Even in a first half that was far too pedestrian from the home side’s perspective as they toiled to overcome the Ayrshiremen’s organisation and defending in depth that mirrored Livingston’s tactics six days earlier.
On that occasion, Rangers had to settle for a 0-0 draw but the lifting of the tempo and a tactical tweak ensured there was no repeat, although the victory could have been greater.
Gerrard threw in Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten but neither looked the part in the first half, with Roofe operating around the edges of the match and Itten looking uncomfortable out on the right.
Killie, with Gary Dicker and Alan Power snuffing out danger in the middle of the pitch, were happy to show the home team inside into traffic and although Borna Barisic was having some joy on the left, the Rangers performance was poor enough for Gerrard to have a go at them at the break.
He did more than that, though. He brought Itten closer to Roofe, with the former Leeds striker playing just off the big Swiss – and all of a sudden Rangers looked far more potent.
Brandon Barker, who with Kent, had looked lively, was moved out to the right where his pace was utilised better and all of a sudden questions were asked of Stuart Findlay and Kirk Broadfoot and as the game wore on, they couldn’t keep finding answers. Barisic’s constant stream of inviting crosses into the box eventually paid dividends in the 50th minute, two minutes after a great delivery had been nodded onto the post by Roofe. This time it was a low ball fizzed across goal and the Englishman pounced to open his account for the club. With Killie finally breached, much of the tension was removed from the home team’s play. With Steven Davis and Ryan Jack providing a base, Kent and Barker were given freedom to run at Alex Dyer’s side and they did so effectively. Barker was heavily involved in the second goal, hitting the byeline on the left and delivering a cross that finally fell for James Tavernier, whose shot was blocked by Aaron Tshibola. Unfortunately for Killie, it fell for Kent. The attacker, looking at the cluster of bodies in front of him, found the composure to slot it away to keeper Danny Rogers’ left. Killie rarely threatened in an
2 RANGERS
0 KILMARNOCK DAVID McCARTHY AT IBROX STADIUM
attacking sense and although they did well defensively in the first half, they rarely looked like rescuing a point after the break.
Manager Alex Dyer said: “We wanted to weather the form in the first few minutes of that second half but we couldn’t do that. Once they scored we were always going to struggle.
“I was happy with the first-half performance and wanted more of the same. When you come to a place like this you can’t go hung-ho.
“But they didn’t trouble us first half, our goalkeeper only had one save to make. We had decent opportunities and I’d have liked us to make more of them.
“Rangers stepped it up a bit after halftime but of course we’re disappointed not to cut out the cross for the goal. But there were still 40 minutes left and it was important for us to stay in the game. Unfortunately we couldn’t do that.”
Gerrard was delighted with the points but wants his team playing without the tension that was apparent in that opening 45 minutes.
He said: “I say to the players, ‘I don’t want you to play with anxiety or worries. I want you to be excited by the challenge’.
“If teams do sit with a lot of men behind the ball, take it as a challenge. The problem is theirs. I want us to get better at it and we will.”
Whether that is without Morelos remains to be seen. The manager says leaving him out was an easy decision given the striker’s lack of application in training. He wasn’t missed on Saturday and a parting of the ways seems inevitable.
Roofe and Itten will compensate if he goes but replacing the injection of pace, spark and energy Kent provides wouldn’t be so easy and keeping him out of Leeds’ clutches has suddenly become a priority.
Gerrard added: “Speculation at a club like Rangers is normal. The most important thing is the players stay hungry and stay focused.
“We need players who work hard every single day and who are ready and focused for the challenges coming up.
“If I see people who are not focused or who have taken their eye off the ball and are not really hungry to get this club results, I have to make easy decisions. Alfredo made it easy for me this week.”