THIS SIDE CAN END FORM DIP

Not getting to the World Cup was a body blow for Scotland.

And after that disappointment the national team suffered a dip in form.

The performance in suffering a heavy defeat to the Republic of Ireland in the summer was something we hadn’t really seen before under Steve Clarke.

Everything before the World

Cup play-off quarter-final defeat to Ukraine had been about positivity and a feelgood factor.

So we’re on the back foot a little bit now.

But what hasn’t changed is the quality in the squad.

Now we’re looking at a crucial set of games in the Nations League.

When picking the team I’d start against Ukraine at Hampden on Wednesday night, the issues were there for everyone to see.

We are missing a few guys like the captain, Andy Robertson.

But how does this sound: Gordon; McTominay, Hanley, Tierney; Patterson, Gilmour, McGregor, McGinn, Taylor; Armstrong; Adams in a 3- 4-2-1 line-up?

These are 11 guys who are playing at a very high level and are more than capable of matching Ukraine.

I’ve left boys like Ryan Jack and Ryan Christie out, which proves that Steve has really good options available.

I can’t see Clarke making too many changes to the team or the shape because the players are familiar with it now.

As much as we’re disappointed about not being at Qatar, this team has shown it can compete with very good sides.

Confidence has taken a dent and certain little things have gone against us – breaks that were maybe going for us when we made it to Euro 2020.

But the team spirit and everything that Steve and the players have built hasn’t just gone overnight.

The Ireland performance was poor.

But if we get back to what we were doing really well, that team I’ve picked can get positive results over the next week and get us a step closer to the next Euros.

How do you solve a problem like Ryan Kent?

If I was Giovanni van Bronckhorst or the Rangers board, I’d start by getting him tied down on a new long-term contract.

That might surprise a few people given his and the team’s current form.

But with just eight months left on his deal, the club simply can’t afford to allow a player of his ability and value to walk out the door for nothing.

First and foremost, they have to protect their asset.

Remember, Rangers invested £7million in Kent in 2019. That was a lot of money for a young player with limited experience.

But Steven Gerrard knew his potential. The board put their trust in his judgment and that’s why they paid out the biggest transfer fee for a player in 15 years.

So now they should be doing everything in their power to ensure he doesn’t leave for free.

Obviously, Kent has to want to stay. If he commits he can get his head right, forget about any potential moves away and get back to his best form.

There has been constant debate about Kent since he arrived from Liverpool.

Overall, has he been a good signing? Undoubtedly. His natural talent isn’t in question.

But I’ll tell you what, there is still so much more he can give to this Rangers team. And the glaring omission from his game is goals.

When you’re at Rangers you’ll always be compared to players on the other side of the city. Jota and Liel Abada have really caught the eye for Celtic since they arrived in Glasgow.

They’ve provided goals, assists and a constant threat from wide areas.

Kent’s goal stats simply haven’t been good enough. His biggest goal return in a campaign at Rangers so far is 13, in 2020/21.

Last season he played 46 games and scored just three. When you’re playing almost every minute of every game for a club like Rangers, that’s not enough.

So he has to contribute more. He’s at an age now, 25, when Rangers need to see it. He’s not a young, inexperienced winger any more.

Kent should know exactly what Rangers demand from him.

He has to impact games more on a consistent basis. We see f lashes of brilliance from him – but other periods when he goes missing.

So you’re probably wondering why I’d do everything to keep him at Ibrox.

Well, by signing a new deal, the club will at least recoup some of the money they paid for him when he moves on.

And by committing his future to Rangers, Kent can concentrate fully on playing to the best of his ability – and bringing success to the club.

He’s got huge games to look forward to – like a Champions League double-header against his old club.

And that’s the main reason for keeping him. He DOES have the ability to be a fantastic player.

He has already shown that. When he was ripping Borussia Dortmund