- Connor Barron is back fit-and-ready to start for Rangers against Aberdeen this weekend.
- The midfielder’s time out has come full circle, having picked up his knock against the Dons in January.
- He is confident he can contribute and that Rangers have what it takes to win the Premiership title.
Connor Barron admits he is “delighted” to be back in the thick of Rangers’ title run-in after a frustrating spell on the sidelines.
The Scotland international played the final 18-minutes in Paisley last week and is set to make a starting return against former side Aberdeen on Saturday.
Full Circle: Barron set for Aberdeen return
Barron’s last start was against the Dons in January – where he played 87-minutes in a 2-0 Ibrox win before a knee injury forced him off late on.
That injury kept him out of action for over two months, but the Scotland international’s season has come full circle as he now looks set to return against the same side who ruled him out.
Despite his absence he does not consider it time lost.
“I used that time to look at other parts of my game and myself,” he explained. “We looked at where I could improve and hopefully, I’m back at a good level now.
“I was always confident I’d get back. I was back training after six weeks and felt good.
“There was never a question of missing the full season.”
The title race
The match against the Dons could leave Rangers top of the table, should Hearts lose to Dundee, and he is excited at the prospect.
“It’s why you’re at Rangers, for these big games and the title run in. I’m delighted there are eight games left to go and win the league.
“It would mean everything [to win the title]. That’s what you dream of as a boy – winning titles.
“Now we’ve got the opportunity, we need to grab it.”
World Cup hopes
He has sadly missed out on a Scotland place for Steve Clarke’s upcoming friendly matches.
The midfielder however, remains confident of being on the plane to North America in the summer.
He said: “It’s always nice to have that at the end of the season to look forward to, but it all comes down to performances for Rangers.”
Read Rangers analysis
Barron has been a miss. While he does not contribute much in terms of chance creation or overall attacking output, with just two assists this season, he is a vital cog in Rohl’s Rangers machine.
He has an almost 90% pass completion rate, taking care in possession and allowing the more creative players to work their magic.
He also wins the majority of his duels and has a 67% completion rate with his dribbles – a further trait that emphasizes his ability to keep possession.
His main traits are on the defensive side of the midfield work.
He rates over 70% for successful interceptions and almost 80% for successful tackles.
These are traits badly missed in the middle of the park recently.
A welcome return for both Rohl and for Scotland ahead of the World Cup.
Could he be the difference in the Premiership title race?
