How Tom Lawrence's Rangers injury absence has applied 'indispensable' tag

And in the other camp, you have a player like Tom Lawrence. Who scored and assisted two goals 15 minutes into his pre-season debut against West Ham and followed up that promise with a significant contribution on the road to Champions League qualification. Throw in three goal contributions in four Premiership games and you start to see the immediacy of his impact, curtailed only by injury.

The 2-1 win over Dundee United just before the current international break encapsulated why Lawrence’s absence is particularly noteable in domestic football, along with the benched Malik Tillman.

Their StatsBomb radar comparison, from only a small sample size, does provide stylistic indications that show why Rangers’ best domestic performance of the season, a 4-0 win over Ross County, came with both playing at the top of the midfield.

The duo have xG (expected goals) tallies upwards of 0.3, meaning they should average roughly a goal every three games based on performances so far. The other two key statistics to note are touches in the opposition box, Tillman has 7.11 and Lawrence 5.4, and shots, Tillman has 2.37 and Lawrence 4.17.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst cannot rely on significant goal contributions from either wing and as has been apparent from the early stages of his managerial stint at Ibrox, he wants to play with attacking No.8s who support his central striker.

On too many occasions, he has chosen or been left to play with midfielders in these advanced roles who don't boast the attacking inclinations of Tillman and Lawrence. 

It’s difficult to compare their numbers with the totals Glen Kamara and Ryan Jack recorded last season, given both have played deeper roles at points. What we can look at is their xG tally to determine the goal threat they provide. Last season, Jack’s xG per 90 came in at 0.14 and Kamara’s 0.06. 

SB (Image: Rangers Review)

Charlie McCann played as the highest of the midfield three against Dundee United, as shown in the below pass network which charts the average position a player distributes his passes from. Jack was slightly deeper in possession next to John Lundstram.

Compare that to the referenced 4-0 win over Ross County. Although the opposition’s defensive structure provided gaps to play into, the higher positions assumed by Tillman and Lawrence are more conducive to creating and scoring goals.

Review of the team’s xG table, for those who have played over 300 minutes, further underlines the pair's importance. Without Lawrence and Tillman in a line-up, there is not sufficient goal threat in the midfield domestically. Scott Arfield’s 0.51xG per 90 is not recorded because he has played less than 300 minutes.

Lawrence’s goal against Hibs earlier in the season is a useful indicator of why van Bronckhorst needs a player of his profile to support the central striker. Working in tandem with Antonio Colak, the midfielder makes the run of a second striker from deep to attack Borna Barisic’s cross.

Jack, Kamara and McCann probably don’t make this type of movement when playing in midfield. That’s not a criticism, more an observation of their differing midfield profiles which are more inclined to move towards the ball rather than attack the box.

Lawrence is also second on the On-Ball Value (OBV) table per 90, marginally behind James Tavernier who religiously tops this chart. OBV “Objectively and quantitatively measures the value of each event on the pitch". It offers a holistic view of the impact a player's actions make.

Van Bronckhorst said Lawrence’s return could come at Tynecastle immediately after the international break finishes, something the Rangers support will hope comes to fruition. 

He has quickly become an indispensable player in the midfield, with his attacking inclination and forward-thinking approach.