Malik Tillman Rangers work rate argument misses mark - here's why

Giovanni van Bronckhorst admitted that while the young American endured a difficult period where he wasn’t at the required levels, that is natural for any player in their first competitive season. Particularly in the cut and thrust of Glasgow’s unique footballing environment.

“Defensively he's taking responsibility,” the manager said recently. “That's part of the game he needs to develop but he's in a much better place than he was a couple of weeks ago and he's in a good place to continue his improvement.”

The 20-year-old made more pressures than any of his teammates against Hearts, 19, with John Lundstram’s 14 the second-highest. That’s not a trend unique to the midweek tie, a range of pressing metrics show Tillman in a positive light. All numbers are taken from the Scottish Premiership.

Firstly, let's take a look at his general pressing numbers. Pressures, the number of times a player pressures an opposition player, are possession-adjusted (PAdj).

No Rangers player who has managed 300 minutes or more has averaged a higher number of PDdj pressures than Tillman at 25.38 per90.

If we move onto pressure regains, the number of times a player wins the ball within five seconds of pressuring an opponent, only Rabbi Matondo (4.09) ranks higher (3.53). The US international is not only applying pressure but winning the ball back in high areas at a good rate.

Tillman also ranks highly on the counterpressures chart, pressures exerted within five seconds of a turnover in possession.

Only Scott Arfield (4.03) has made more average attempts than Tillman (3.97) to pressure an opponent when Rangers lose possession.

Only James Tavernier (6.39) and Connor Goldson (6.13) have averaged a higher number of PAdj tackles and interceptions than Tillman (5.84).

And while he ranks slightly lower in the Tackled/Dribbled past %, a metric which calculates the percentage of times a player makes a tackle as opposed to being dribbled past, his sixth-placed position team-wide remains respectable.

Where is he making these contributions? The below defensive activity map shows Tillman to be more active defensively on the left-hand side of the pitch and in the opposition half.

There is no questioning the fact that Tillman has at times lacked off-ball intensity and failed the eye test. Equally, the numbers show unequivocally that he is performing well across a number of defensive metrics.

So is the work rate mantra a myth or totally true? Likely at the moment, somewhere in between.

In his first senior season, the Bayern Munich loanee has been tasked with leading in an area of the park ravaged by injuries. In a team who’ve endured countless heavy defeats and a system of play that’s attracted plenty of criticism.

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