Former midfielder Scott Allan has criticised the positioning and body shape of Nico Raskin during Rangers’s Scottish Cup clash against Celtic.
Although Rangers enjoyed large spells of possession at Ibrox, they struggled to break down Celtic’s defence and create clear opportunities.
Raskin delivered his typical energetic display in midfield, working hard throughout the match. However, Allan pointed to issues with the Belgian’s positioning when receiving the ball, suggesting it limited Rangers’ attacking play.
Speaking on the BBC’s Scottish Football podcast, Allan explained that Rangers lacked creativity in dangerous areas of the pitch.
He argued that several times Raskin’s body shape prevented him from turning quickly and moving the ball forward, which slowed down Rangers’ attacking momentum.
Allan also noted that there were moments where the midfielder could have opened his body and played forward passes or laid the ball off quickly but instead chose safer options.
According to Allan, those small details matter at the top level, and players in Raskin’s position should be able to receive the ball in a way that allows them to move play forward more effectively.
While Raskin is widely praised for his tireless work rate and defensive effort, Allan suggested that his approach on the ball may sometimes restrict Rangers’ creativity in the final third.
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