Ryan kent

[NorthernLights 2,526]

Looks as if he’s trying to do too much sometimes. Clearly still has ability but it’s not happening for him at the moment. 

[philiprfc 1,799]

I think his role needs to be simplified - he's a wide player, he needs to play wide. Cutting inside means he often keeps having to attempt to dribble by players and more often than not he loses out.

Also shoulda scored that chance in the first half.

[bluenoz 30,687]

1 minute ago, the brown brogue said:

Not sure where the feeling that he's just out of form at the moment comes from. He's been with us 18 months now and outwith a handful of flashes of quality I can't remember him ever showing a sustained level of decent form that would indicate we're ever going to get the level of consistent quality you expect for a player that cost a fortune by our standards.

The name of the game at the professional level is possession. He simply loses possession too much for my liking. His goals against the taigs have elevated his status in my opinion. At this point, I'm not sure where is career will take him.

Sterling used to be like him when he was younger and eventually came good so you never know I suppose but it doesn't look promising

[RangersMedia 35,961]

His confidence is absolutely shot to pieces 

[sassaaaa 11,406]

Needs dropped.......

[Zander1 180]

To say he's trying too hard seems like a cliché, but he is one of those players who gets frustrates if he's not involved and so will come far too deep to collect the ball.  That at least shows he's not hiding, which isn't always the case for our players.  I think dropping him now would kill his confidence.  I think the management team just needs to encourage him to stay in the final third at make his contributions count.

[El-Hadji Spit RFC 733]

Been very poor, simply can’t afford to have a £7m player go missing in big games. Needs a kick up the arse 

[Laudrupsleftfoot 10,780]

1 minute ago, Zander1 said:

To say he's trying too hard seems like a cliché, but he is one of those players who gets frustrates if he's not involved and so will come far too deep to collect the ball.  That at least shows he's not hiding, which isn't always the case for our players.  I think dropping him now would kill his confidence.  I think the management team just needs to encourage him to stay in the final third at make his contributions count.

This bit's bang on. People are under-rating how important it is to have someone who can break through lines and get us up the pitch, which he did a handful of times tonight. But he absolutely needs to start doing more to lead to chances/assists/goals.

[SeparateEntityMyArse 53,621]

16 hours ago, GaryMc said:

I'm not buying the played out of position nonsense. It's him that chooses to turn around 2-3 times and then pass the ball to Barasic every time. If he would just run at a defender for a change instead cutting back and doing pointless stepovers that would be more beneficial. He's out wide enough in the game to have an impact and it's not as if he's forced to play central only as that's clearly not the case when he appears out wide loads during a game.

Kamberi drove at their right back every chance he had tonight and immediately we looked better for it.

Kent's  form is poor and confidence is low so he needs dropped for a bit. 

My kid plays winger and his brief every time is 1st opportunity, take on the full back. Often puts them on the back foot the whole game.

I get that often he is coming inside when Borna (is meant to) overlap. But when he has the opportunity to play as a winger and go at a man he shits it. And as you say he has plenty opportunities wide in games.

I'd drop him too.

[stevemartin1991 262]

I’d rather have middleton than kent right now... 

[Nk89 1,286]

3 minutes ago, stevemartin1991 said:

I’d rather have middleton than kent right now... 

Naw

[Prso's headband 35,347]

Head is down constantly on the park, he’s even hesitant to play 5 yard passes incase he fucks it up. 
 

Gerrard likes to play players through bad spells but Kent needs time out. He’s getting surrounded by opposition players constantly and the rest of the teams movement at his side of the pitch is so poor. 
 

Needs a few appearances from off the bench which will also give the opposition something to think about instead of smothering him out the game from the start

[GaryMc 2,394]

1 hour ago, SeparateEntityMyArse said:

My kid plays winger and his brief every time is 1st opportunity, take on the full back. Often puts them on the back foot the whole game.

I get that often he is coming inside when Borna (is meant to) overlap. But when he has the opportunity to play as a winger and go at a man he shits it. Andcasctouvsay he has plenty opportunities wide in games.

I'd drop him too.

It's pretty basic stuff and poor that a £7m wide player doesn't do it more often. Defenders hate facing their own goal so he should be targeting the byline every chance he has and only using Borna when the overlap is on. 

He's making it easy for defenders just now.

[dougie76 15,356]

He's not been great but getting on his back ain't going to help him, l know it's frustrating as fuck but he will come good.

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,752]

It’s fine talking about where your kid plays and saying that going down the line is basic stuff (which it is) but Kent is clearly being told to play from out to in with the width expected to come from Barisic. He’s in poor form but you can’t really criticise a player for following his managers instructions. 

Personally speaking I like teams who have a winger who plays out to in and one who plays more vertically up and down the line. It worked pretty well and had us balance last season with Candeias on the wing and Kent playing more out to in but with Hagi  on the other side now Kent should be the one playing more vertically down the line.

[Inigo 32,526]

On the evidence of the last year and a half, he's never a £7 million player. Unless things change drastically it could be a big, big transfer mistake by the gaffer and his team.

[fin8577 402]

Kent like so many of the first teams confidence is low for some reason and his form has dropped but lets hope last nights result will kick them all into touch and get them playing they way they can 

[dougie76 15,356]

11 minutes ago, Inigo said:

On the evidence of the last year and a half, he's never a £7 million player. Unless things change drastically it could be a big, big transfer mistake by the gaffer and his team.

At the time l thought is was stupid to pay that for him but he can't do anything about that, he is still young and hopefully learns fast that he needs to turn up more than a handful of games a season.

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

Time on the bench with Kamara is needed, play Kamberi & Buff up top with Hagi in behind them. 

[beararse 6,366]

2 hours ago, SeparateEntityMyArse said:

he (Kent) is coming inside when Borna (is meant to) overlap

THIS.

It's far too predictable.

Borna has turned his form around but our tactic of always feeding him down the left is fairly easy to counter. Would be interesting to see how Kent performs with Aribo behind him/cutting inside and allowing Kent to charge at a full back. 

[HG5 11,082]

10 hours ago, the brown brogue said:

Not sure where the feeling that he's just out of form at the moment comes from. He's been with us 18 months now and outwith a handful of flashes of quality I can't remember him ever showing a sustained level of decent form that would indicate we're ever going to get the level of consistent quality you expect for a player that cost a fortune by our standards.

Correct mate.

Aribo’s goal was exactly the sort of thing Kent should be doing on a regular basis.

Shows what can happen when you have the balls to actually drive towards the goal.

[KingKirk 25,605]

I wonder what's wrong with kent. Obviously wingers are inconsistent at the best of times. Looks like a player that doesn't quite understand his position in the team anymore.

If I was Gerrard I'd just take all the defensive responsibility off him and tell him just concentrate on getting his best form back.

[TMB 14,167]

1 hour ago, HG5 said:

Correct mate.

Aribo’s goal was exactly the sort of thing Kent should be doing on a regular basis.

Shows what can happen when you have the balls to actually drive towards the goal.

Aribo’s form has been hit and miss this season too.  I think Aribo spent 9 or 10 games in one of those number 10 roles and there was very little end product.  

[TMB 14,167]

1 hour ago, beararse said:

THIS.

It's far too predictable.

Borna has turned his form around but our tactic of always feeding him down the left is fairly easy to counter. Would be interesting to see how Kent performs with Aribo behind him/cutting inside and allowing Kent to charge at a full back. 

You’re talking about using Aribo as an inverted full-back.  It’s an interesting idea and I’m surprised Gerrard did it last night (maybe his hand was forced by limited options on the bench?).  Problem is, Barisic is a top LB and has been one of our best players all season.  I just can’t see anyone but Barisic playing at LB when fit.

[TMB 14,167]

For what it’s worth I’m still a huge fan of Kent.  He likes to run at defenders and can go past players at will.  What he lacks is an end product but we already knew that when we signed him.  

I’ve seen many Liverpool fans say the same thing.  With a better end product he would be a top player.  Hopefully he can improve his end product with us and reach his potential.

I’d like to see a 4-2-3-1 with Kent wide left.  Hagi in the middle.  Maybe Stewart wide right as he’s always done well for us when given a chance and can play that role.  I’d have Aribo in central midfield as a box-to-box with a more defensive player like Jack beside him.  Set ourselves up to attack and we could destroy teams.

When we were 2-0 down last night I think the manager had to go for it, and to his credit he did.  Hopefully his eyes have been opened a bit.  The 4-3-3 is too defensive at times and recently just hasn’t been working at all.  We need a change in system and a bit more positivity from the manager in terms of formation and subs.