New season same old Rangers but there was one key difference on Premiership Groundhog Day

Daily Record

2 days ago

Record Sport's Scott McDermott experienced a familiar feeling for the Ibrox side on the opening day of the league campaign
New season, same old Rangers.
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Different manager, a few different players - but the same outcome on the Scottish Premiership 's opening day.
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And let's be honest, their supporters have come to expect it now.
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Drop league points on day one, allow Celtic to steal a march at the top of the table - and struggle to mount a genuine title challenge after that.
It's like Groundhog Day for these long-suffering fans.
But at least on Saturday, after their woeful 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Fir Park, there was one key difference to previous years.
Afterwards, there were no excuses made by the manager. No protection of his players.
In the last two seasons when Rangers have got off to a stuttering start under Michael Beale and Philippe Clement - both gaffers claimed there were mitigating circumstances.
There was no panic, the team was backed with an ill-advised promise of better things to come.
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That wasn't the case in Lanarkshire at the weekend.
Instead, new boss Russell Martin decided to eviscerate his squad.
He labelled them as egotistical, work-shy prima donnas, who are experts at self-preservation.
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You could only admire the manager for his honesty.
It might be early to call out certain individuals within a group which has become riddled with failure.
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But what other choice did he have? Also, unlike Beale and Clement, Martin told the fans what they wanted to hear. What they HAD to hear.
But the huge question now is, will he back up his threat?
He's adamant that those who aren't with him will be left behind.
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Which should make his team selection for Tuesday night's critical Champions League qualifying first-leg against Viktoria Plzen fascinating.
Because if some big-name under-performers aren't cutting it, drop them.
Martin praised the attitude of young Lyall Cameron and seasoned campaigner Cyriel Dessers who both came off the bench against Motherwell.
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So you have to presume they'll both start against the Czechs in midweek, right?
The proof will be in the pudding, of course.
But irrespective of the actual personnel, he'll surely make changes.
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Because the insipid display against a Jens Berthel Askou side - who out-thought and out-fought Rangers - will have given supporters flash-backs from previous years.
Motherwell started the game better than Martin's men.
They played with an urgency, a tempo and dictated possession. Their midfield three of Elliot Watt, who was superb, Lukas Fadinger and Callum Slattery were making a mockery of price tags on the heads of Rangers' trio Joe Rothwell, Nico Raskin and Mo Diomande.
When Well fell behind, it was from a set-piece - and they were architects of their own downfall.
Paul McGinn's skewed clearance went out for a corner, Rothwell picked out James Tavernier at the back post who headed in his 131st goal for Gers.
And for a spell after that, the visitors gained a bit of control - even if Jack Butland had to make up for his own error to deny Apostolos Stamatelopoulos in the box from close range.
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At half-time the message from Martin would have been clear.
Go for the jugular at the end of the ground where Rangers fans filled the away section and get a killer second goal.
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But that kind of ruthlessness requires a certain kind of mindset. It requires a hunger to win.
And for far too long now, this Rangers team has proved they don't have it.
Even new guys like Max Aarons and Rothwell already look like they've picked up the bug.
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Instead, Martin's team sauntered in the second half, were negative with their passing - and invited the home side on to them.
Askou's side took the game by the scruff of the neck and decided they weren't going to settle for defeat.
In the end, they actually deserved to win it.
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They battered Rangers after the break and got their reward with just three minutes left.
Tavernier and Kieran Dowell's defending on Motherwell's left side was abysmal as Longelo charged forward.
Eventually, a shot deflected into his path and he buried it for 1-1 - while a sea of blue shirts stood back and admired the finish.
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Of course, Rangers suddenly showed a bit of energy in the closing stages - realising the repercussions of yet another opening day slip-up.
But it was too little too late and Martin knew it.
In injury time, it was Motherwell who should have won it when sub Tom Sparrow ran through a gaping hole in Gers' defence but Butland saved.
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At full-time, Martin walked on to the pitch to give supporters a clap but they weren't interested.
Just 90 minutes into the new campaign and he and his side were being booed off.
If some of the new boys didn't know the expectations at Ibrox, they do now.
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While the manager didn't hold back afterwards, neither did Butland who has been in this movie before.
He said: 'I won't insult the fans with words they don't want to hear. But there's a minimum requirement here and we didn't do it.
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'We weren't at it. It wasn't good enough and we got what we deserved. There's no point sugar coating it. People need to pull their fingers out.
'If anyone doesn't understand what this club is about, the response at the end is everything you need to know about what's expected of you.
'We don't want to be having these conversations. We've done them before and we need to be better.
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'You've got to learn quickly, there's no time to waste. In my time here, we haven't got off to a good start.
'You've got to be strong enough to deal with it. We've got to win on Tuesday then keep winning games in the league - and make sure we're winning more than anybody else.
'To say it's a lesson is irrelevant. It's too late for that. We need to be at it all the time and if anyone didn't know that, now they do.'
But Rangers fans have heard it all before.
For Martin, Butland and the rest of the Rangers squad - actions must speak louder than words, starting on Tuesday night.