'Life comes quickly at Martin as Rangers humbled'

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The Rangers found themselves down 3-0, amidst a chorus of booing, with many fans already leaving the stadium.

When the crowd at Ibrox directs its anger outward, it can be tempting to block out the noise and protect oneself. It’s not a pleasant situation.

The atmosphere was intense; the jeers were loud and harsh, cutting remarks aimed straight at their intended targets. While a corner could have changed the situation for the coach, it did nothing to sway the crowd

Under Martin's leadership, the Rangers seem to follow a singular style of play, which currently lacks solid defensive strategies.

They abandon caution and go all out. The team pushes forward. There’s a stark absence of midfield and defensive structure, devoid of the necessary cunning and physicality, along with a lack of authoritative presence.

In this match, they could have easily conceded five or six goals.

In recent weeks, Rangers had successfully navigated matches against Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen, earning some applause for their progression. However, the more pragmatic observers recognized the significant element of luck during those outings.

Shoddy defending went unpunished. Clearances failed on crosses. Opponents were not tracked. The goalkeeper was required to make numerous saves. Space was generously conceded. Strikers squandered clear chances. But, sooner or later, such negligence tends to catch up with a team.

"The Rangers are a disaster defensively"

Their offensive play had been commendable—sometimes outstanding—but what about their defensive efforts?

Could Rangers afford to allow so many opportunities to Brugge, a team that has sold approximately £70 million worth of players this summer, yet possesses enough skillful players to capitalize on careless defensive errors?

The answer came swiftly just three minutes in when Nasser Djiga, who had earlier been lackluster during Alloa's first goal in the League Cup, switched off and allowed Romeo Vermant to break free and skillfully lob the ball over Jack Butland.

Djiga has the potential to improve; he is athletic, strong, and capable of much more. However, he has also shown a lack of effort when Alloa caught his team off guard—an unforgivable mistake. He was culpable again, in a glaring manner, as he mistakenly assumed his goalkeeper would step up to confront and manage Vermant.

Even if Butland had sprinted out like Usain Bolt at that moment, he still would not have reached the ball. Djiga, a loan player from Wolves, appeared to give up. His impact has been labeled as positive so far, although that’s a rather generous viewpoint.

Once again, the answer was no after just seven minutes when Jorne Spileers, unopposed by any defenders, calmly placed the ball into the net from a corner. These were the types of situations Rangers had managed to avoid in earlier matches. That was not the case this time.

And again, the answer was negative after 20 minutes when Rangers failed to clear their area on two separate occasions, revealing indecisiveness and incompetence, which allowed Brandon Mechele to fire a third shot past Butland.

At that moment, the only supplications that could have been directed towards Rangers would have expressed gratitude to a higher power that this squad was not advancing any further in this Champions League.

That it was to be spared from any additional disgrace at the hands of the elite teams in Europe—a fortunate exit that Martin's predecessor, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, was unable to enjoy, which ultimately cost him his position.

It is clear that Rangers, in the early stages of whatever strategy Martin is attempting, are not equipped for Champions League competition.

They show promise when it comes to offensive threat and have undoubtedly identified a talent in Gassama, but their defensive line is a disaster. During his short tenure, Martin has taken a frail backline, added numerous players, and somehow weakened it further.

In the second half, as they managed to score once and nearly equalize, they displayed their stronger qualities.

They put in significant effort, pressured Brugge, created some opportunities at one end, and prevented further goals at the other. However, the outcome merely made the score look less terrible rather than offering any real hope.

Have opinions on Martin already crystallized?

One would need to possess unwavering faith, mingled with a generous dose of optimism, to believe that Rangers, given their defensive issues, will manage to reverse this situation in Belgium next week.

Martin's unwillingness to change while at the helm of Southampton does not bode well.

He must shift his perspective regarding his team's arrangement—similar to how Brendan Rodgers adapted last season in Europe following Celtic’s heavy defeat to Borussia Dortmund—but there are few indications that he is prepared to do so.

He has to make these adjustments, or the discontent we heard during the first half will intensify, the doubts amongst Rangers supporters will solidify, and his challenges will escalate further.

He maintains a sense of optimism and faith. Good for him. Martin has faced numerous challenges, and resilience is part of his character. He will need every ounce of mental toughness in the intense environment he currently faces.

Rangers now face a tough series of matches—away games against St Mirren and Brugge, followed by home matches against Celtic, Hearts, and Hibs. All those teams—not just Brugge and Celtic—can exploit Rangers' weaknesses.

Martin must navigate through this period relatively unscathed, starting with a tough match against St Mirren, a gritty side shaped by their intelligent and resilient manager, Stephen Robinson.

Football in Glasgow hits hard and fast. Martin understood this truth during his brief stint as a Rangers player, and he certainly recognizes it now as the team's manager.

It is an unyielding terrain. Early in his tenure, yes, but people form their opinions quickly in this region.