Nicolas Raskin: Overlooked Rangers moment from midfielder vs Falkirk proves title credentials
Nicolas Raskin embodied the spirit needed as Rangers beat Falkirk 6-3 in the William Hill Premiership on Sunday.
In what was a chaotic fixture in 4 Stadium Way on 12 April, the Belgium international did more than just score and assist for the Gers.
One possibly overlooked moment that Keith Jackson believes is even more important than the midfielder’s goal contributions was his confrontation with Dylan Tait over a strong challenge on Djeidi Gassama late in the second half.
The 25-year-old’s fighting spirit at Falkirk Stadium highlights everything the Light Blues need post-split to secure the league title.
Danny Rohl should thank Raskin for running the show for the Glaswegian outfit after the break against the Bairns and it could potentially be the foundation of their eventual success this season.
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Nicolas Raskin game in numbers in Rangers win vs Falkirk
Raskin was everywhere against Falkirk and he was arguably the catalyst of the comeback for the Gers.
The midfielder scored one goal, provided one assist, made two key passes, created one big chance, delivered two accurate crosses and had an 80 per cent passing accuracy, as per Sofascore.
With the Belgian star given license to roam further forward, he attempted three shots, with one on target, had 66 touches in the game, completed three of his five dribbles and won two fouls.
| Statistics in 6-3 win vs Falkirk | Nicolas Raskin |
| Sofascore rating | 9.3 |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Carries | 22 |
| Total progression | 83.7 meters |
| Defensive contributions | 5 |
| Recoveries | 8 |
Raskin didn’t shy away from his defensive responsibility at Falkirk Stadium, winning four of his five tackles, 10 of his 17 ground duels and one of his three aerial duels.
Writing in the Daily Record on 13 April, Jackson said, “And it was more than just what he did with the ball at his feet, even though he scored one and played a crucial part in four of the others during a quite extraordinary 90 minutes of utterly unhinged mayhem.
“Because late in the second half, when Tait went in heavy with a foul on Gassama, Raskin raced across to confront the culprit and spark a rammy at the side of the pitch. And in that moment, Raskin became the embodiment of the kind of spirit and togetherness which is a basic requirement for any would-be championship winners.”
Danny Rohl has one encouragement for Spain training camp
Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski were on target for Rangers in the unbelievable turn of events against Falkirk in the second half.
Rohl has to deal with Ryan Naderi potentially being out for the rest of the season with an injury and it’s encouraging to see the other two number nines get on the scoresheet.
The Gers are off to Spain for their mid-season training camp and the German manager will surely be working with his two strikers to get the best out of them for the final five games of the season.
Rohl has two in-form goalscorers going into the post-split fixtures, another factor that should make them favourites in the title race.
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