With a lot of new players arriving, from a variety of different markets, there’s understandably been talk about the importance of having some Scottish players in the ranks alongside them.
Without going too far back,it was a Walter Smith staple. Regardless of the quality of foreign players, he always had a strong Scottish contingent. Whether it was players brought through like Ferguson, McGregor and Hutton, or talent picked from around the league in Thomson, Naismith and Whittaker, Scottish players were always an important core of his Rangers success.
Step forward Connor Barron.
At only 21 years old he already has a good amount of experience with 76 first team appearances for Aberdeen. That means plenty of games, data and clips to look at as to what he can bring to Rangers.
First off, his mobility to get around the pitch and press opposition players out of possession is a big asset. You pair that with tenacity to win the ball back and you get a player who records 2.5 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, both categories in which he ranks among the best in Scottish football for midfielders.
It’s easy to see why.
Despite a relatively small frame, he reads the game well and has all the other physical attributes to be successful in his actions.
Reading the game and reacting quickly to break up play:
Using his physical strength to win individual battles:
Good positioning and instincts to capitalise on loose touches:
Regardless of the method, he’s already an excellent ball winner and closer of space which are very valuable assets to any midfield.
Oh, and tracking runners on the counter is something we struggled badly with in the later stages of last season. It’s something else he has the legs to help with.
The out of possession attributes are definitely a stand out, but it’s important to note his qualities with the ball that go less noticed.
First of which is a very good and varied range of passing from different areas of the pitch.
When he picks the ball up in deeper areas with space, he has the passing ability and intent to look for a ball into dangerous areas.
In more advanced areas, he still looks to play the dangerous pass when possible and does it with variety.
The most impressive passing, however, comes when he wins the ball or gets it under pressure. While he is happy to regularly play it quickly and simply retain possession in those areas, he also still likes to look for a quick ball in behind to catch a high line when the option is available.
Another good attribute in his game is being very comfortable taking possession under pressure or in dangerous areas.
It’s something we’ve struggled with when teams press, our sitting midfielders have been prone to being too slow to move the ball or taking heavy touches, Barron keeps things simple but does it quickly and effectively.
As mentioned, at only 21 there is a very good foundation to build upon as Barron’s league rank is already high in some of the most important areas for a number 6.
Tackles (90%)
Interceptions (85%)
Passes (81%)
Successful passes (80%)
These are numbers that will undoubtedly further increase at Rangers given the uptick in dominance of possession, overall team pressing which forces opposition errors and simply being in a team so much stronger than most of the league.
An example of these numbers increasing can be seen in one of the midfielders he is replacing, John Lundstram.
Lundstram’s numbers before joining Rangers at a relatively poor Sheffield Utd side compared to what he produced at Rangers show a significant jump across the board.
Passes per game 43 vs 77
Completed passes – 36 vs 68
Tackles – 1.1 vs 1.6
Interceptions – 0.6 vs 0.9
Given Barron was already performing very well amongst SPFL midfielders in that role while part of a relatively poor team, in a better situation he has all the skills required to take that next step as a player.
The manager is putting together a very different team from the one that finished last season and Barron is one we have been looking at for quite some time, picking him up for a compensation fee is excellent business and he is a player with the skillset and development room to become another very good Scottish player in a Rangers team looking to get back to more consistent winning ways.
Four Lads Had A Dream 