Rangers defeat to Celtic in the Scottish Cup final was as frustrating as it was disappointing for a number of reasons.
Refereeing decisions, wasted opportunities in the final third and the one player who Philippe Clement can really trust costing his side a goal in Jack Butland – what could go wrong, did go wrong, despite a solid tactical plan.
The game plan was a success primarily because of who the manager picked to get the job done with one Rangers player in particular doing enough against Celtic to justify his selection.
Nicolas Raskin shows Rangers class despite Celtic defeat
When John Lundstram put in the worst display of the season at Parkhead, his days at the club looked numbered.
Clement decided that the 30-year old midfielder didn’t deserve to start the cup final and Nicolas Raskin kept his place in the team.
A year and a half after joining Rangers, the Belgian has yet to consistently show what he is capable of with the manager explaining only a matter of weeks ago why he wasn’t even in the squad for the Ibrox derby:
“It’s not that Nico is doing things bad now or not good. No. He’s working really hard.
“I see him evolving also. He’s better than when I saw him in October. He is a better player. But there is more competition also. That’s what you need in a top team to perform and to win a lot of games.”
For years, Celtic’s midfield has been quicker, more aggressive and more controlled whenever the two sides have met.
Rangers allowed their Old Firm rivals to have the bulk of possession in the early stages, but in the second half they were clearly the better side with Raskin at the centre of everything good.
Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate were anonymous and much of this was down to the work of Raskin and Mohamed Diomande.
For once, it was Rangers who looked sharper, got to second balls quicker and were starting counter attacks.
Raskin proves his point ahead of summer rebuild
Raskin is never going to be a player like Steven Davis in that he simply doesn’t have the passing range or composure to play the passes that the Northern Ireland legend used to.
But what he does do is drive the team forward in a different way.
The 23-year old won’t be the sort to dictate the tempo of a game, however, he will get Rangers on the front foot if there are players in front of him who can dictate play.
Clement might have seen his side lose, but the decision to drop Lundstram and go with Raskin gave him the blueprint as to how to cause Celtic problems.
The diminutive Belgian deserves to keep his place next season, especially when there are much more pressing concerns throughout the squad.
