Connor Barron must have a big part to play in Rangers defeating Motherwell on Sunday afternoon.
Barron has been slowly worked back into the Rangers mix following a knee injury that left him out for a couple of months.
The Gers midfielder has all the qualities to play a huge part in the title race, and that starts this weekend.
Barron is a bundle of energy in the midfield, using his endurance to rattle opposition midfielders and dictate the game.
Motherwell possesses two of the best midfielders in the SPFL in Elliot Watt and Elijah Just.
The pair have been inducted into the Scottish Team of the Year and will disrupt Rangers if someone doesn’t get a hold of them.
Barron has been slowly building his minutes up, but this weekend, he needs to be in Danny Rohl’s midfield.
Barron the starter
In Barron’s absence, Rohl has trusted Nico Raskin and Tochi Chukwuani in Rangers’ midfield.
Both of those players enjoy going forward and are better suited when a typical six plays next to them.
Barron is exactly that.
He’s a disruptor, someone with high energy who will close the opposition down and win the ball back for the Gers.
He’s made 42 successful tackles this season and recovered the ball eight times in the final third.
Rangers can sometimes fall into a slow-slow-sideways rhythm, especially against teams that sit in a low block.
Barron plays with a sense of urgency. He looks for the forward pass 15% more often than the alternatives in that holding role.
Barron can dictate the game and find Rangers’ forward players with ease while also providing that insurance policy for the defence.
If Raskin starts, Barron gives him the license to get up the field to score goals and create more freely.
Neutralising the Motherwell threat
Two of Motherwell’s most influential players are Elliot Watt and Elijah Just.
Watt has been sensational this season, providing five goals and three assists. From deep, he is their quarterback.
If you give him time, he will pick Rangers apart with his long-range passing.
Barron’s harrier style is the perfect foil. He has the recovery speed and the engine to sit on Watt for 90 minutes.
Elijah Just is arguably the most dangerous winger/attacking mid in the league outside of the Old Firm right now.
He’s provided seven goals and seven assists this season and loves to drift inside to link up with the frontman.
Barron’s tactical discipline in the six or eight role provides the screen that prevents Just from finding those pockets of space.
Barron isn’t just a tackler; he reads the game well enough to intercept the cut-back passes that Just thrives on.
Read Rangers analysis
Despite the success of recent weeks, Barron must start this weekend for Rangers to combat the talent of Motherwell.
He has all the capabilities to lock down Watt and Just, while giving Raskin the freedom to get forward.
If Rangers stop the Motherwell midfield from ticking, they stop their whole arsenal from being dangerous.
In my opinion, Barron is the player who can put Rangers on the front foot and lead the Gers to victory on Sunday.
