Why Nico Raskin is now 'player Rangers expected nine months ago'

Thanks to our partners at StatsBomb we can bring you unrivalled data insights into the moments that win and lose games. From now on after every Rangers match, we’ll dive into a couple of the key performers in a bitesize format, highlighting key tactical details and defining moments that show up in the data.

Rangers were deserving winners without blowing away St Mirren in yesterday’s 2-1 win. Once again their xG numbers, and the xG created minus conceded, reflected the narrow margin by which Philippe Clement’s team are winning matches. With that said a Post-Shot xG of 3.13 demonstrates the overperformance of Ellery Balcombe in the St Mirren goal. The hosts' finishing merited another goal.

This week, we’re highlighting Nico Raskin’s growing performances at No.6 and the ‘new role’ that’s catalysed an upturn in Vaclav Cerny’s performances. Click here to read our match piece which discusses of Robin Propper and Neraysho Kasanwirjo.

Nico Raskin impresses at No.6

For several months it has felt as though Raskin’s Rangers career would never recapture the early momentum that made his signing appear an inspired one. Injury issues and a change in playing style worked against the Belgian midfielder but now, operating at the base of midfield rather than as a No.8 for the first time under Clement, Rangers are starting to see a far better version of the 23-year-old.

“I’m happy to now see the Nico I expected nine months ago,” Clement commented post-match, caveating the injuries that have stagnated the former Standard Liege midfielder’s momentum.

The function of Clement’s No.6, compared to last season, is better suited to Raskin’s strengths. John Lundstram and Connor Barron interpret the role differently, both more passers than carriers. Raskin’s long-range passing is not the finest area of his game. Rather it’s the combative midfielder’s ball-carrying and press resistance that have always stood out. Receiving the ball through the press and navigating a route out. Those qualities are finally being put to use in Clement’s team.

The passes Nico Raskin received against St Mirren

Raskin improves Rangers’ otherwise somewhat limited ability to play through the middle of the pitch. Early on, St Mirren found it too easy to push Rangers sideward and backwards with a reticence to play through the middle limiting the hosts from moving forwards.

However, when Rangers started to find the feet of Raskin from centre-back and full-back they were consistently able to move through the press and into the final third.

Raskin is able to receive the ball and face play in one action, he doesn’t need to face play first and then get the ball. As a result, he'll rarely drop between the centre-backs and instead remain in valuable pockets that represent a route forward. 

Vaclav Cerny’s ‘new’ position and xG overperformance

Clement’s side still aren’t scoring enough or charting up high xG numbers - yesterday was another afternoon where the xG difference came in at a little over 1.

To correct that, they need more players to find the type of form Cerny is playing himself into. With five goals in four games since that miss against Lyon, the on-loan Wolfsburg winger is starting to show why Rangers brought him to the club. The Czech winger’s confidence is up but equally responsible for a stronger run is a tweak to Cerny’s positioning.

Read more: 

After 'stability' admission, Clement faces a huge call in Propper or Kasanwirjo

Neraysho Kasanwirjo: Why centre-back could be best position and Arne Slot signed him

The 26-year-old lacks the pace and power, especially when driving down the line on his right foot, to remain unpredictable out wide. More often than not, James Tavernier isn’t overlapping by the touchline on the right but rather remaining inside the pitch.

Cerny is still required to hug the touchline in moments and receive wide to stretch the opposition defence but increasingly, when Rangers can launch quick attacks, Cerny can influence the game in central areas. Moving from outside to inside where he’s far more effective operating close to goal. As his attached carry map shows, the winger was rarely forced to run up the line against St Mirren and could instead dribble vertically. 

Vaclav Cerny's carries against St Mirren

The former FC Twente man is an excellent finisher as shown by his double in the Europa League midweek. In fact, despite the miss against Lyon Cerny has overperformed his xG across the Europa League and Scottish Premiership campaigns with six goals from 2.39xG. In the league alone, he's scoring at double the expected rate. 

While that fluctuation will likely level out slightly there’s no doubting the quality of Cerny’s finishing. The more Rangers can play him into central areas at speed free from the constraints of the touchline, the more he’ll score.