BBC pundit notices what Russell Martin is trying to get Rangers squad to do, even though they ‘really can’t’ do it
Russell Martin has suffered a miserable start to his managerial reign at Rangers.
Rangers have won just one of their six Scottish Premiership matches this season, with fans demanding for Martin to be sacked.
Having lost 2-1 to Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday, Martin is in dire need of a win in order to save his job ahead of the upcoming international break.
Ahead of their away trip to Falkirk on Sunday, one BBC pundit has urged Martin to change something for the benefit of the players in his squad.
Russell Martin must be more direct against Falkirk
Rangers’ last Scottish Premiership match was a 2-1 win over Livingston, with substitute Max Aarons scoring a 94th-minute winner.
The second half saw Rangers’ performance levels drop, and they eventually resorted to playing more directly, which eventually earned them the win.
Speaking on talkSPORT on 4 October, former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell was critical of Martin’s philosophy, given the players at his disposal.
He said: “This is a big game for Martin against Falkirk, and there’s been unrest among the fans, which they have voiced.
“They’re giving away so many opportunities, and that’s because they’re playing this style of football that they can’t really do.
“Against Livingston, they looked the most threatening in the last 15 minutes when balls were just getting pout into Livingston’s box, and they eventually got the breakthrough.”
| Games managed | 16 |
| Wins | 5 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Losses | 6 |
| Goals scored | 20 |
| Goals conceded | 23 |
| Win percentage | 31.25 |
Similar to the Livingston match, when Rangers were 2-1 down to Sturm Graz for much of the second half, they also relied on crosses into the box to fashion their most notable opportunities.
Martin has already blamed Livingston’s artificial pitch this season, and with Falkirk also playing on the same surface, his possession-based style of play will likely be ineffective throughout the match.
After Aarons scored the winner versus Livi, Rangers supporters immediately started sack chants towards Martin, and if the Bears start poorly against Falkirk, Martin must adapt his tactics in the moment.
Martin isn’t known for his defensively strong tactics, yet with the Light Blues failing to create many clear-cut chances by keeping the ball, playing a counter-attacking style of football wouldn’t hurt the team’s performances.
Russell Martin’s lack of tactical flexibility a key reason for Rangers’ struggles
The former Southampton manager won’t change his philosophy based on evidence from his past, and it has contributed to his failures in Govan.
Having gained promotion to the Premier League with the Saints in 2024-25, Martin was sacked in December as his side failed to adapt to playing against the country’s best attacking players.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has come under heavy criticism for not switching his system, despite it clearly not working at the start of this season.
All of the best managers in the world set up their teams differently based on the opposition, the circumstances of the match, and even the conditions of the pitch.
It seems that Martin has arrived at Ibrox and tried to dominate Scottish football by playing only one way, yet Hearts, Dundee, St. Mirren, Celtic, and Motherwell have gained results against the Bears this season.
Whether it is arrogance or ignorance, Martin simply must become unpredictable in matches; otherwise, his sacking will become a matter of when, not if.
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