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Rangers leader Martin reflects connected Motherwell draw
Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland
Watch Motherwell v Rangers highlights
02/08/25
Russell Martin has managed conscionable 270 minutes of shot arsenic Rangers caput coach, and already he has near his players without a name.
After nan Ibrox side's 1-1 tie astatine Motherwell successful their opening Scottish Premiership fixture, Martin said his players were "lucky to get a point".
An "extremely disappointed and hurt" Ibrox caput coach said nan awesome Fir Park broadside were "braver" and "more aggressive" than his team.
He lambasted "two men connected nan transportation who want to do what they want to do" and said immoderate of his players "have to driblet their ego".
"The default is to revert to type," he added. "It's not really tactical, it's a mentality problem."
It is nan 3rd consecutive play successful which Rangers person grounded to triumph their opening convention match. But nan first clip Martin has publically unloaded connected his players.
What did Martin really say?
On Wednesday successful Athens, Martin acknowledged that performances could person been amended crossed Rangers' two-legged Champions League qualifying triumph complete Panathinaikos, but he said he was "so proud" of his players.
Three days later, nan temper has shifted remarkably.
Across 2 post-match interviews pinch BBC Scotland and Sky Sports, Martin chose not to clasp backmost aft his 3rd crippled successful complaint of Rangers.
Here are nan cardinal lines from his furious reaction:
"I deliberation we were fortunate to get a point. We were obscurity adjacent wherever we request to be. And I'm highly disappointed and wounded by that. They were braver than us. They were much fierce than us."
"The point I can't judge is, immoderate nan strategies are, we sewage outfought and they were braver than america to play successful definite moments.
"We prime and take erstwhile we want to play decently and erstwhile we want to tally hard. When nan game's not going well, we person excessively galore players that want to do their ain point and gaffe into self-preservation.
"This is not maine blaming nan players astatine all; I deliberation it's a problem nan nine has had complete nan past fewer years. When it's going well, it's fine, and erstwhile it's not, there's a problem. It's not together capable connected nan pitch.
"I've said to nan players, location is simply a default present astatine this shot nine to revert to type. When it's going really well, everyone's each in. When it's not going well, you protect yourself a small bit. You can't play for this nine and conscionable bask nan really bully moments. You person to beryllium each successful each nan time."
"We had 2 men connected nan transportation coming that want to do what they want to do. When you want to conscionable jog astir and do what you want to do, there's a large problem. So immoderate of them person to driblet their ego."
"There'll beryllium group near down if they don't want to travel because they request to understand what playing for this shot nine will return and what it means."
"The lethargy and each that worldly is not acceptable. So I'm amazed by that. But I'm much angry than surprised."
"I will look astatine america tactically and judge my work successful it. But today, it's a mentality problem. And we sewage much than what we deserved, actually."
What did nan pundits say?
Before Motherwell recovered their precocious equaliser, erstwhile Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson has expressed heavy interest astir his aged side's approach.
"At nan infinitesimal there's thing coming from Rangers; it's rather worrying," he said connected BBC Sportsound. "I've not sewage a hint what their maneuver is. I don't spot it."
After Motherwell netted nan leveller their play much than merited, Ferguson added: "I've sewage a existent interest aft watching that 2nd half. They players still person a batch to beryllium to that Rangers support."
Speaking connected Sky Sports, irate erstwhile Rangers striker Kris Boyd said: "It's nan aforesaid things that support happening clip aft clip aft time.
"It's early successful nan season. We cognize location are going to beryllium players arriving. We cognize location are going to beryllium players going out. But nan alarming point for is he's calling them retired truthful early on."
Despite agreeing pinch Martin, erstwhile Celtic guardant Chris Sutton was besides taken aback by nan Rangers boss' comments, saying nan remarks "were extreme".
"For him to for him to do that first crippled of nan season, he sees him each time successful training, he must deliberation they're rank rotten," he said connected Sky Sports.
"Because why wouldn't location beryllium a spot much equilibrium there? When person you ever seen a head do that first crippled of nan season? That was utmost arsenic extreme."
What do nan stats show us?
Image source, Opta
Former Motherwell guardant James McFadden said "a tie was a bully consequence for Rangers based connected that performance".
The remark was possibly made pinch lingua successful cheek, but nan stats backmost up it up.
Motherwell's expected goals tally by nan extremity of nan lucifer was 2.21 to Rangers' 0.7.
Jens Berthel Askou's brave and expansive broadside vanished nan crippled pinch 5 large chances, according to stats supplier Opta. Rangers had one.
The 17 shots Martin's broadside faced astatine Fir Park intends his squad person faced 51 efforts crossed conscionable 3 games this season.
Over those 3 matches, Rangers person conceded only twice, but their opponents person amassed a full expected goals tally of 5.58.
That is simply unsustainable, and Martin will cognize that much than anyone.
What do nan fans think?
Bill: It's very early, but I would beryllium amazed if this Rangers squad put successful a situation for nan convention title. Very poor.
Stevie: Anyone sewage overgarment connected a wall drying? Better watch than Russell Martin's boring tactics.
George: Brutal. [Martin] does not person a clue. No style, nary direction, nary quality.
Graeme: Different manager, different team, aforesaid guff from Rangers.
Sarah: Same aged Rangers, can't adjacent a crippled out.
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