Cup matches would typically provide a team with a chance to rotate their side and offer chances to young players but that was not the case for Glasgow Rangers on Saturday.
The Light Blues, who finally made their return to Ibrox after starting the season at Hampden Park, faced Dundee in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
With a place in the last four up for grabs, Philippe Clement could not make wholesale changes or bring academy players into the fold for this clash.
His decision to select his strongest XI was backed up by the performance and result as they swept the opposition aside with ease, winning 3-0 at Ibrox.
Cyriel Dessers found the back of the net twice for the Gers, either side of a penalty from James Tavernier, and is now on seven goals in nine appearances this season.
Connor Barron played another full 90 minutes in the middle of the park for Rangers and currently looks like an incredibly shrewd signing during the summer transfer window from Clement and head of recruitment Nils Koppen.
Connor Barron's start to life at Rangers
The Scotland U21 international’s contract with Aberdeen expired at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and that allowed the Ibrox giants to swoop in and snap him up for a compensation fee.
Rangers allowed Ryan Jack and John Lundstram to both move on as free agents and that left a vacancy in midfield, which Barron has now expertly filled.
He has started eight of the club’s nine matches in all competitions so far, only missing out on the win over St Johnstone in the last round of the League Cup, and this shows that Clement already trusts him to play week-in-week-out.
Appearances
5
Pass accuracy
91%
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.0
Ball recoveries per game
4.0
Ground duel success rate
45%
Aerial duel success rate
31%
As you can see in the table above, Barron has provided a calming presence in possession with his pass completion rate of 91%, which shows that he completes the vast majority of his attempted passes in the Scottish Premiership.
His seven tackles, interceptions, and recoveries combined per match also show that he looks to buzz around the pitch to win possession back for his side, by breaking up opposition attacks.
However, the Scottish youngster has lost the majority of his duels, on the deck and in the air, and this suggests that he still needs to improve his physicality to compete against stronger opponents.
The former Aberdeen star has been dribbled past two times per game on average in the Premiership so far this season, at least 0.5 times more per match than any of his teammates, and is only one of two players – alongside Oscar Cortes – to have been dribbled past more than once per game on average.
This suggests that Barron is not entirely suited to playing as a number six in the Rangers midfield and that he could have more joy in a number eight role, as it would allow him to buzz about the pitch without worrying about any gaps left in the middle of the pitch behind him if he is dribbled past.
At the moment, the opposition can run at the Rangers backline by getting past the Scottish gem because the club do not have a natural defensive, reliable, midfielder to anchor the team.
This suggests that Clement could help the summer signing to thrive even more by bringing in a number six to sit at the base of the midfield and allow the Scotland youth international to push forward and press high to win possession back.
At the age of 22, there is still plenty of time for Barron to develop further and improve under Clement at Ibrox. This means that he could grow in value over time and emerge as a valuable asset for the club in the future, which is why he has been a fantastic signing for the short-term and has the potential to be a terrific long-term addition.
Rangers may already have their dream midfield anchor who could grow alongside the Gers number eight in the form of academy prospect Bailey Rice.
Why Bailey Rice is an exciting prospect
Former Rangers manager Michael Beale described the teenage sensation as a “heck of a player” and claimed that he was “ready” for first-team football in September of last year.
The 17-year-old has been on the bench on three occasions so far this season, against Dynamo Kyiv, St Johnstone, and Ross County, but is yet to make his senior bow under Clement.
He played twice under Beale in the Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign and made his first-team debut under the Englishman in the 2022/23 season.
The Scotland U19 international is an out-and-out defensive midfielder who can sit at the base of the midfield and provide a solid and reliable presence, which would then allow Barron, and the likes of Nicolas Raskin and Mohammed Diomande, to push further up the pitch.
Rice has already been capped 28 times by Scotland at youth level, for the U16s, U17s, and U19s, and this shows that his country view him as a promising young player.
His three appearances in the first-team for Rangers in the Premiership at the age of 17 also show that the club believe that he has a big future at Ibrox, as they have looked to get him experience as quickly as possible.
The Scottish gem, who turns 18 next month, has produced two goals and one assist in 19 matches for Rangers B to date and it remains to be seen what Clement’s long-term plans are for him.
Rice has been on the bench three times under the Belgian so far this term and this suggests that the youngster is not a million miles away from being in contention to feature in matches.
As a natural holding midfielder, he could emerge as a dream for Barron in the middle of the park by playing as the six and freeing up his compatriot to push on and not worried about what is left behind him if he is dribbled past as Rice could be in the right place to sweep up.
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It is now down to Clement to provide the teenage starlet with a chance to show off his talent in the first-team, and for the midfielder to prove that he has what it takes to play week-in-week-out at senior level.
