Nico Raskin and Connor Barron both walked into the mixed zone unfazed. No signs shown of a gruelling 90 minutes in Athens aside from refreshments their bodies required after a night where their sprinting never stopped. You sensed their minds were yet to quite calm and quieten from an end-to-end match in Athens. If another loose ball bounced somewhere in the carpark they’d have sprung into action in a heartbeat.
The two diminutive midfielders were big performers for Rangers as they earned a 1-1 draw with Olympiacos and continued a better start to their Europa League than domestic campaign. Against last season’s Conference League winners Philippe Clement’s side were the closest to all three points against a team rarely derailed in their home arena.
Raskin and Barron were far from congratulatory at a point, with the Belgian critical of a first-half showing in which his use of the ball wasn’t patient enough and at times nervy. “Maybe I need to look at my warm-up, maybe do something even harder to get my second breath earlier in the game. I'm still a bit tired because I've not played a lot and I've just been playing five games in a row for 90 minutes,” he mused self-critically.
You wouldn’t have known a second breath evaded him. The biggest takeaway from Rangers’ performance aside from the sporadic incision shown by Cyriel Dessers in front of goal was how little Clement’s team limited their Greek hosts to, just - xG. In an intimidating atmosphere Raskin consistently put out the fires that Barron hadn’t already extinguished higher up the pitch. Often snuffing out a telegraphed pass that seemed destined to travel beyond the midfield area, Raskin had his reading glasses on all evening.
This was the 23-year-old’s best performance in a Rangers shirt for quite some time. A reminder of why his stock sprung so high last summer. At his best Raskin’s rugged work off the ball sees him close down opponents before they’ve time to react, skipping into duels with all the excitement of a winger attacking a forlorn full-back. Composure on the ball and use of it must still improve but rarely when Raskin gave up possession last night did he not quickly pluck it back in the same action. The Belgian may be small but doesn’t he control an area on nights like last night? Making a midfield that was a pass away from conceding a transition attack weeks ago feel all the more secure. It was Barron’s single-handed refusal to give up a loose ball in the middle that earned Vaclav Cerny the ball in space to play through Dessers not long after Olympiacos had taken the lead through Ayoub El Kaabi.
At their worst off the ball this season Rangers have been slow and predictable. Lacking the legs to carry out Clement’s instruction. Last night was the most dynamic, certainly out of possession, they’ve appeared in quite a while. The numbers back that up.
Raskin managed a game-high 16 tackles and interceptions as well as completing the game’s most pressures (40) and counter pressures (14). And second in all those metrics? Barron with 11 tackles and interceptions, 33 pressures and 8 counter pressures.
The 23-year-old’s distribution ought to improve and that erratic use of possession was one of the reasons John Lundstram remained Clement’s pick at No.6 last season until the manager’s hand was forced. It’s sometimes a by-product of Clement’s game model that hardly encourages control with patient possession and can often leave individuals isolated in big spaces, however. The pair look far more comfortable with the Belgian at the base facing his own goal and Barron chasing any lost cause while making runs beyond on the right. For a manager who speaks about the importance of duels to consistently it has always been surprising that Clement has seemingly had a blind spot in relation to certain profiles off the ball.
"I'm happy to play as a No.6. That's why the club bought me at the time. I had a spell as the No.8 I should have done better, but I'm happy to play now as a No.6. I think my collaboration with Connor [Barron] is good. We love to work together to get the ball back for the team,” Raskin continued.
"If you ask me, I'd say I love to play as a No.6, to help defensively and to try and give the ball to my No.10, No.8 or winger.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that Raskin’s arrival was viewed as a real coup by Rangers when signed from Standard Liege almost two years ago. And yet, it is not only injury that has disrupted his growth but inconsistency in the role he plays and the demands placed upon him. Under Michael Beale at the start of last season Raskin was a running No.8 one week and dictating No.6 the next. Only now, over a year into Clement’s tenure does it feel as though a spot has been claimed. The No.6 was one area Rangers sought to enforce this summer but couldn’t align their needs with the budget and available options. Plus, it was important not to block the pathway of Raskin who needs minutes to progress
The Ibrox side look better with the former Belgian under-21 international backing up the front five’s pressing efforts and linking play from the back. He’s able to receive in the midfield and drive forward, appearing far more comfortable a little more removed from the chaos of a midfield battle than the tireless, effective Barron. Mohamed Diomande too was improved last night in a 4-3-3 formation, something that’s been far more common after summer than Clement’s initial 4-2-3-1.
It’s fair to say that Clement’s football has only truly worked at Ibrox when featuring a sufficient number of physical profiles. Diagnose the issues of last season’s title collapse and you’ll find a team wide open in transition with a lack of pure energy. Against Motherwell on Sunday the variation and legs of substitutes Diomande, Dujon Sterling and Danilo was stark in contrast to the trio they replaced, Tom Lawrence, James Tavernier and Dessers.
A valid criticism at the start of this season was the ability of one pass to break through a midfield structure that can appear open by pressing in a man-to-man, rather than zonal fashion. While Clement has tweaked his tactics throughout the season tactics are so often individual. How often last night did a surging run from Raskin close down a gap that would’ve otherwise been pored over and identified a structural issue post-match otherwise? The creation of the equalising goal was only made possible by Barron’s sheer determination to win back a ball he had to real right to.
Of course this is Europe and Rangers, for one reason or another, find it far easier travelling to a European champion in Greece than down the road to Kilmarnock. On the continent the pace of the game is set by the occasion and open areas inject tempo into the attack.
Raskin and Barron still need time and evidence to show they can dominate games that don’t require as much smashing up and chasing down. Can they control, prise and prod a team open domestically? That’s still to be proven. While it arrives Rangers look all the better for having a bullish Rangers back at the base of midfield and Barron unleashed a line ahead.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here