Russell Martin is making his Rangers life hard for himself | OneFootball

Rangers managers insist on making life difficult for themselves, and Russell Martin’s Champions League Rangers is yet another. An Ibrox boss who, despite successfully negotiating past a staggeringly profligate Panathinaikos, keeps on starting a poor and badly-compiled XI.

Aarons at left back is a dire prospect – Tavernier at RB isn’t a hell of a lot better.

Kieran Dowell on the right wing is just inexplicable, and Findlay Curtis is nowhere near ready to be first-team fodder.

Joe Rothwell continues to underwhelm and the defensive duo of Souttar and Djiga doesn’t work. Both individually played well.

Danilo has now failed to show up two matches in a row despite Newsquest alleging he’s a born-again striker. We also didn’t notice a heck of a lot from either Diomande or Raskin.

The only two real standouts were the born-again Jack Butland and a second stellar cameo from Gassama, who has bagged two in two.

But Russell Martin’s Champions League Rangers won’t touch it. Indeed, he claimed the reason was ‘consistency’ and that effectively he doesn’t want to change the lineup all the time.

So, as far as we can tell, he’s yet another boss, like Gerrard, Beale, Gio and Clement who will start by hamstringing himself with a poor selection. With weak players who are out of position in the first place.

This time he didn’t have a sensational comeback in the second half to rely on – just the fortune of Rangers’ own goalmouth and an in-form Butland. Not to mention Pana’s dire finishing. And a cracking finish again from the Gas Man.

Ergo the notion of a strong XI seems to be something Rangers managers just won’t do.

As it turned out, Rangers made it into the third round – despite Martin’s management and not because of it. He’s a weird, inappropriate boss for Rangers who is hard to root for, but it’s also hard to argue with a 3-1 win over a very decent Panathinaikos.

He’s carrying a bit of luck, and all managers do need that.

If that lucks gets us the Promised Land of the Champions League League Phase with the cash on display, we can’t exactly complain about it.

Victoria Plzen await in the next round.