Brian Laudrup reckons Nicolas Raskin looks ready to take Rangers to the big time. But the same can't be said for three stars he feels need to up their game after derby day defeat.
Michael Beale watched his team fall to a 3-2 defeat at Parkhead that sees them slip 12 points behind rivals Celtic, surrendering the league title for a second season running, but Laudrup lets Beale off the hook for this one. And while he thinks Kevin Clancy can take his share of the blame, he also thinks Ryan Kent, Malik Tillman and Todd Cantwell let their side down with their work off the ball.
He wrote in his Daily Mail column: "I thought Beale got his tactics right at the weekend. He couldn't legislate for the huge defensive errors that cost his team the game nor Kevin Clancy's decision to rule out that early Alfredo Morelos goal. It should have stood. With a high energy approach from the start, Rangers were really good out of possession.
"The problem, however, comes when your attacking midfield players Ryan Kent, Malik Tillman and Todd Cantwell are better without the ball than with it. You didn't see any of these three take the game into their own hands. Not much was created from open play. More will be required at Hampden. Or maybe even a tweak to personnel.
"If Beale can match that front-foot energy to a bit more of a creative spark, then we're talking about a Rangers team with a good chance of winning the semi-final. Saturday was a little step forward but it still wasn't enough in the end."
He went on: "While Tillman went into the game in great form after his recent goals, the tempo of derby matches still causes him an issue. He's so laid-back in his approach that sometimes you want to give him a bit of a shake. He's still very young, let's not forget that. But he can't quite connect with the craziness yet. It's a shame because he has got the potential to be a match-winner for sure. In his favour, Tillman was good in stopping McGregor from building play. That was obviously important.
"Cantwell also got through a power of work in his first Old Firm start, but we didn't see much incisive passing from him at all. Again, I think he was so focused on what he had to do off the ball to help the team.
"Then there is Kent. With his experience, he's the most frustrating of the lot. We all know he can be a class act at times but there's still this funny feeling that he's missing something. You don't expect him to score 20 or 25 goals a season. But you do need more. And you do have to make comparisons to a player like Jota in a similar role at Celtic. The Portuguese has 13 goals and 11 assists across all competitions this season. Those are good numbers for a winger. With the ability Kent has, these are the kinds of numbers he should be around.
"But he isn't anywhere near it. At least not when it comes to scoring. The Ibrox player has three goals and ten assists overall. Is it enough?"
Looking on the bright side though, 22-year-old January addition Raskin impressed again and Laudrup reckons he's the future of the Ibrox midfield. He added: "To me, Nicolas Raskin took to his first Old Firm start like someone who had been involved in the fixture for many years. When you think about Rangers in the future, you can't picture the midfield without him in it.
"The 22-year-old Belgian has put down a marker early in his Ibrox career. That's important. Saturday was a big test for him in a very hostile arena. He stood up to it. I don't think he deserved to be on the losing side.
"You often wonder about how relatively new guys will react to an Old Firm occasion. Some can shrink. Some can be over-motivated and get themselves into trouble. I've seen both happen. Raskin got involved in a bit of a shoving match with Callum McGregor at one point, and picked up a yellow card, but it was just a case of him not backing down. His temperament was good.
"Rangers were a lot better in midfield than in the League Cup final loss and Raskin was a big part of that development. He had been out for four weeks through injury, but the absence didn't show in his play. I liked his energy, his ability to pick out a pass under pressure and to turn away from opponents.
"These are the games in which you can make proper judgments about Rangers players. Raskin, certainly, looked like someone who can thrive under expectation. The Ibrox manager now needs a few more to follow Raskin's lead in really stepping up."
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