Better than Barron: Clement must now unleash Rangers' "quality" talent

How do Rangers salvage this season, and how does Philippe Clement keep his job?

Having been ignominiously dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Queen’s Park last Sunday, defeated in that competition by lower-league opposition at Ibrox for the first time ever, the Light Blues are staring down the barrel of a trophyless season.

The Gers are 13 points adrift of run-away Premiership leaders Celtic, a gap that will be insurmountable, but Sunday’s trip to Tynecastle still feels must-win, as Clement fights to remain in situ, ahead of Rangers’ Europa League last 16 tie coming up on 6 March.

So, could the Belgian claim the victory he so badly needs by unleashing a highly-rated teenage midfielder?

Rangers’ midfield issues

As noted by former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew, midfield has been a problem area for Rangers throughout this season.

Clement has primarily deployed three different options at the base of midfield this season, so let’s assess their stats.

As the table outlines, Mohammed Diomandé and Nicolas Raskin have been Rangers’ best-performing midfield duo this season.

The former boasts the best attacking statistics, goals, assists and big chances created, while the Belgian shines for defensive metrics, namely tackles, interceptions and duels.

Thus, it’s no surprise that this has been Clement’s starting duo for the last five Premiership and Europa League matches they’ve both been available for; Diomandé was suspended for the trip to Old Trafford last month.

Thus, this means Connor Barron has been the man to miss out, generally performing the poorest of the three, reflected by the fact he has the worst return for goals and assists, as well as big chances created.

Earlier this season, after making the move from Aberdeen, Barron was earning rave reviews, most notably named the club’s player of the month for September.

Meanwhile, a report by BBC Sport noted he made a “promising start to his Rangers career”, with Peter Cassidy of STV describing him as “one of the few shining lights at Ibrox this season”.

However, the 22-year-old has not featured in any of Rangers’ last four Premiership fixtures due to a medial collateral ligament injury sustained during a collision with Manchester United’s Matthijs de Ligt, and the date of his return is as yet unknown.

So, currently short of midfield options, should Clement turn to a teenager at Tynecastle?

The Rangers starlet who Clement must unleash

Against Queen’s Park in last Sunday’s ill-fated Scottish Cup tie, 18-year-old Bailey Rice, who Ben Mattinson on Twitter describes as a “quality midfielder”, was handed his full-senior debut.

However, it didn’t last long, with Rice hooked at half time, a substitution that former Hearts and Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart, speaking on Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social club, described as a “deplorable decision”, adding that Rice “did not deserve to be taken off”, with Darrell Currie saying that he hopes the youngster does not feel like a “scapegoat”.

On top of this, former Rangers defender Alan Hutton believes Rice is “ready” to start contributing at first-team level, adding that he was impressed by the teenager when he was introduced at halftime against Man United, following Barron’s injury.

Teammate Ianis Hagi has also praised the youngster’s “mentality”, so we’re advocating for Clement to put Rice back into the team at Hearts on Sunday, if the Gers are to claim the three points they so desperately require in Gorgie.

Tipped for success at such a young age, the signs point to the teenager emerging as an even bigger talent than the stricken Barron, with it set to be an interesting tussle in the centre of the park over the coming years.

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