After a mixed start to life as Rangers manager this week, Danny Röhl and his team may now be going into a crucial fortnight with a sense of positivity.
Last Thursday, the Gers were demolished 3-0 by Brann in the Europa League, leaving them bottom of the gigantic league table, but then did manage to beat Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox on Sunday, thanks to second-half goals from Danilo and Youssef Chermiti.
This lifts the Light Blues up to fifth in the Premiership table, with some crucial fixtures ahead.
On Wednesday night, they’ll travel to Edinburgh to take on Hibs, before a League Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden next Sunday, followed by a visit from Roma in the Europa League four days later.
So, ahead of three massive tests, which Rangers star made themselves undroppable with their performance against Killie?
Nicolas Raskin's importance to Rangers
Russell Martin made many mistakes as Rangers manager, but his public falling out with last season’s player of the year Nicolas Raskin proved to be one of the most costly.
The Belgian was unceremoniously left on the bench for Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, before not being included in the matchday squad at all for home matches against Celtic and Hearts.
The latter, a miserable 2-0 defeat, was when the support really started to turn against Martin, with Darrell Currie perplexed as to why any coach would choose to leave their “best player in the stand”.
However, recognising the error of his ways, Raskin was back in the team a week later as Rangers beat Hibs 2-0 in the League Cup quarter-finals, the Belgian heading home the opening goal, albeit this did little to help Martin remain in a job.
Raskin has started both matches since Röhl’s appointment, a trend you can guarantee will continue at Easter Road on Wednesday, but who else has put themselves forward as one of the first names on the team sheet?
Rangers summer signing who starred vs Kilmarnock
Fair to say, plenty of Rangers’ 13 summer signings have not impressed so far; Joe Rothwell, Nasser Djiga, Thelo Aasgaard, Jayden Meghoma and Youssef Chermiti, to name but a few.
Chalkboard
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However, the last of those signings, namely Derek Cornelius, who arrived on deadline day, could prove to be the best.
The 27-year-old Canadian international is something of a globetrotter, having played in Germany, Serbia, his native Canada, Greece, Sweden and France before moving to Scotland, arriving on a season-long loan from Olympique de Marseille, opening his Rangers account with this header on Sunday.
Overall, the late addition was ultra-impressive, as the numbers outline.
Goals
1
1st
Shots on target
2
1st
Dribble success %
100%
1st
Defensive actions
10
2nd
Clearances
9
2nd
Duels contested
15
1st
Duels won
8
1st
Accurate passes
75
2nd
Passing accuracy %
91%
5th*
Touches
107
2nd
Average rating
8.1
1st
*minimum 15 passes completed.
As the table documents, Cornelius was immense against Kilmarnock.
The defender had the most shots on target of any player on the pitch, while registering the most duels contested and duels won, ranked second only to centre-back partner John Souttar when it came to defensive actions, clearances, accurate passes and touches.
Upon his arrival in Govan, then-manager Martin highlighted Cornelius’ “experience”, while Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell heralded his “defensive and leadership abilities”.
Meantime, after games against the Netherlands and France, the latter a memorable goalless draw in Bordeaux, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch praised his “incredibly strong performances”, adding that the defender is “smart, he understands a lot of the tactical responsibilities, and he’s played with a lot of confidence and belief in himself”.
Well, very early into his Rangers career, the centre-back is starting to show some of that potential, crucially forming an encouraging partnership alongside Souttar.
Thus, with games against Hibs, Celtic and then Roma next on the agenda, Cornelius has catapulted himself into the undroppable tier of Rangers players, alongside Raskin and Djeidi Gassama, but few others.
Holding back Raskin: Röhl must drop the "cooked" Rangers flop vs Kilmarnock
Following a 3-0 defeat to Brann in Danny Röhl’s first match as Rangers manager, he must move on from his flop holding back Nicolas Raskin.
ByBen Gray