As bad as Aasgaard: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who was “so poor”

Glasgow Rangers suffered a crushing 3–1 defeat to arch-rivals Celtic at Hampden Park on Sunday afternoon, crashing out of the League Cup after a tense and fiercely contested semi-final.

It marked Danny Rohl’s second loss in four matches since taking charge at Ibrox, as Celtic eventually sealed victory in extra time following a hard-fought 90 minutes.

Rangers’ uphill battle after Aasgaard’s red card

Rangers’ task became far more difficult in the 38th minute when Thelo Aasgaard was sent off, leaving the Gers to battle with ten men for the remainder of the game.

The Norwegian midfielder, selected for his creativity and attacking spark in the middle of the park, had minimal influence before his dismissal.

His most notable involvement came when his red card changed the entire dynamic of the match, handing Celtic a numerical advantage for the rest of regulation and extra time.

Although the challenge on Anthony Ralston appeared accidental—Aasgaard catching the defender while trying to control the ball—it still gave the referee a decision to make. It was a moment of poor judgment that ultimately let his side down at a crucial stage.

Chermiti fails to deliver on the big stage

Aasgaard wasn’t the only player to disappoint. Youssef Chermiti endured a nightmare performance in attack after earning a start thanks to a goal and an assist in his previous two Premiership outings.

The Portuguese striker had impressed off the bench against Kilmarnock and provided an assist in the win over Hibernian, but his form deserted him completely at Hampden. He lost numerous duels, surrendered possession 14 times, and failed to register a single shot on target.

Chermiti squandered two golden chances in the first half when the score was still level. The first came from a perfect low cross by Mohamed Diomande, which the striker somehow dragged wide from close range — prompting TV pundit Michael Stewart to brand his finishing as “so poor.”

Moments later, Chermiti found himself unmarked at the back post from a James Tavernier free-kick but again failed to convert from just a few yards out.

Those misses proved costly as Rangers could have easily been ahead before Aasgaard’s dismissal and Celtic’s eventual breakthrough.

Time for Rohl to make bold changes

In the end, it was a miserable outing for both Aasgaard and Chermiti — two players whose mistakes played a key role in Rangers’ downfall.

For Chermiti in particular, his lack of composure and wastefulness in front of goal raised serious questions about his place in the team. Given the £8 million investment made in the striker, patience among supporters may already be wearing thin.

With the defeat ending Rangers’ League Cup hopes, Danny Rohl will now face growing pressure to make changes to his starting lineup — and dropping Chermiti could be the first step in reshaping a side that desperately needs a reaction.