Glasgow Rangers midfielder Carlos Pena has endured a mixed time since arriving at Ibrox in the summer.
It is surely fair to say that it is not only the players fans deem to be hopeless who leave the supporters tearing their hair out – but it is also those who are capable of producing moments of sheer brilliance who can frustrate fans on a regular basis.
Carlos Pena certainly falls into the latter category, as Rangers fans have learned during his first few months at Ibrox following his £2.7 million move (via Daily Record) in the summer back when Pedro Caixinha was in charge.
It took the 27-year-old a while to get into the side, but once he was in, he seemed to find his scoring form and went on an impressive run in front of goal, at one stage scoring five goals in eight appearances for the Gers.
On his day, the Mexico international looks like one of the most impressive players in the Scottish Premiership – but his day does not appear to come around as often as it should.
He can go missing in games and fail to make any kind of impact – to the point where there have probably been games when Gers fans have almost forgotten that he is on the pitch.
The problem with players like Pena is that managers who keep faith with them inevitably come in for criticism as they may only come good once in a while rather than on a regular basis – and with Rangers looking to step up and cement themselves as the second-best side in the country at worst, finding his best form once in a while will surely not be enough during 2018.
If Pena can find some consistency when he is at his best, he could be perfect for the attacking role in the diamond that Rangers have used in their midfield in recent weeks – but there may well be some who doubt whether he will prove that he can find that consistency in his game anytime soon.
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