Russell Martin told to go ‘public’ with major Rangers issue after what was seen at Ibrox
Rangers manager Russell Martin is facing more scrutiny, following the 2-0 defeat to Hearts.
Martin is severely under pressure at Ibrox, with Rangers somehow 10th in the Scottish Premiership.
However, Andrew Cavenagh continues to back Martin, much to the dismay of many Rangers fans.
The atmosphere at Ibrox was toxic during the match against Hearts on Saturday, and fans are unimpressed with the lethargic and boring style of play Martin has brought to the club.
Rangers look weak defensively, blunt offensively, and they are clearly missing some magic in midfield.
Russell Martin must publicly state problem with Nico Raskin
Nicolas Raskin has been left out of the Rangers squad completely against Celtic and Hearts, with Martin falling out with who many believe to be his best player.
Speaking on talkSPORT on 15 September, Ally McCoist believes fans should know why Raskin has been exiled from the squad.
He said: “There’s obviously a problem with Raskin, but I think Martin has to let the public know what the problem is.
“We’re all watching the game at the weekend, and Raskin walks into that team.
“You can’t leave him out if it’s to the detriment of the team. The team’s the most important thing, not an individual problem between a manager and player.”
Raskin was on the verge of leaving Rangers in the summer, but the long transfer saga eventually resulted in him staying at Rangers.
Raskin was left out of the squad versus Hearts, prompting fans and pundits to question what’s really going on behind the scenes.
- Reports suggest Raskin and Martin have fallen out
- Raskin was left out of the Old Firm Derby squad
- Raskin and Martin have talks following the international break to repair relations
- Raskin was then left out of the squad for the Hearts match
As Martin moves closer to the sack, he must swallow his pride and bring Raskin back into the fold if he wants to keep his job.
Russell Martin’s reliance on Nasser Djiga is another issue that could cost him
Another issue Martin must deal with is his over-reliance on Djiga, despite the Burkina Faso international’s terrible run of form.
The centre-back has been a disaster since joining on loan from Wolves, with his performance in the 6-0 defeat to Club Brugge particularly woeful.
Against Hearts, Djiga failed to get tight enough to Lawrence Shankland, who ran off both central defenders before opening the scoring for the visitors.
Derek Cornelius signed for Rangers on deadline day and is a perfect fit for the starting line-up.
The left-footed centre-back would allow John Souttar to move back to his preferred right-hand side, as he looked shaky on the left while accommodating Djiga.
Cornelius must start alongside Souttar in the League Cup tie against Hibs; otherwise, Rangers will continue to leak goals at an alarming rate.
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