'What has happened?': Boyd really worried about £1.7m Rangers ace, gives 'advice' to summer signing too
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Rangers were flying high after that glorious win at Malmo. But Kris Boyd, watching Philippe Clement’s team return to league action at Hibernian, saw his old employers dragged back down to earth three days later.
Rangers needed a Tom Lawrence wondergoal and a Jack Butland penalty save as they stumbled to all three points against Hibs.
And while the usual suspects impressed again – Connor Barron continues to justify the praise of Rangers legend Ally McCoist with Jefte, John Souttar and James Tavernier also stand-out performers – Boyd was left underwhelmed by a couple of other faces rotated into the XI as Clement looks to cope with a demanding two-game-a-week schedule.
Nicolas Raskin, in particular, struggled to stake his claim for more regular minutes.
And for all the praise that has come Hamza Igamane’s way after a couple of eye-catching cameos – the Moroccan continues to be likened to Ibrox hero Alfredo Morelos – the striker’s first start in Rangers blue offered a stark reminder of how much he still has to improve upon.
Kris Boyd disappointed by Nicolas Raskin’s Rangers display
“Take the schedule out of it, what would concern me the most is the performance of some players,” Boyd sighs. “[Clement] didn’t get any reaction out of the players they brought in. I didn’t see anything.
“The question is, what has happened to Nico Raskin? He looks a pale shadow of what he was when he arrived into Scotland. In terms of that tenacious tackling, getting after people, making things happen, he just doesn’t look the same player for whatever reason.
“For me, the cause for concern would be the level of performance from some of the players. There was four or five players yesterday where, if you are a Rangers manager, the performance would be concerning.
“The drop-off from Thursday to Sunday was alarming once again. And it’s going back into the category of Rangers are never in control of a game of football. It was back to the same old ways on Sunday.
“You win the game, its six clean sheets in seven, it’s four in a row, you must be doing something right. But if you are Rangers manager, you’re looking for a little bit more.”
A £1.7 million signing from Belgian outfit Standard Liege in 2023, Raskin did show a few flashes of quality against Hibs.
But, with Clement keen to manage his minutes after so long on the treatment table, the diminutive playmaker was removed at half-time in favour of Kieran Dowell.
On current form, a place back in the Gers midfield is likely to remain out of reach for both Raskin or Dowell, with Mohamed Diomande and the aforementioned Barron to of the first names on Clement’s team sheet.
Rangers legend Boyd has advice for Hamza Igamane
Boyd also wants to see more from Igamane.
Introduced ahead of Rangers’ top scorer – the in-form Cyriel Dessers was outstanding again as Rangers beat Malmo in the week – Igamane showcased some of the hold-up talents that has sparked those Morelos comparisons.
But Boyd, the five-time Premiership Golden Boot winner, wants to see Igamane simplify his game a little and get on the end of those pinpoint deliveries provided by Tavernier and Jefte from the flanks.
“I made a career out of scoring goals. And strikers these days, they seem to be focusing on everything else but scoring goals,” Boyd adds. “You’ve got players behind you who can create opportunities. You don’t need to be dropping into midfield areas.
“How many times did Rangers get in the wide areas and you think; ‘Igamane, get yourself in the box! Go and score goals’. All this link-up play, these nice touches, they will only take you so far.
“It’s his first start. There is more to come from him. But a little bit of advice; get yourself in the box and effect the game. If you are the main striker at Rangers and you have been chosen ahead of Cyriel Dessers, get yourself in the box and score goals!”
