Rangers Show Glimpses of Martin’s Style in Draw with Club Brugge

Russell Martin’s Ibrox debut as Rangers manager offered supporters the first glimpse of his tactical philosophy, as his side drew 2-2 with Belgian outfit Club Brugge in a pre-season friendly.

While the result means little at this stage, the performance highlighted both the scale of the challenge ahead and reasons for cautious optimism.

Fielding a mix of familiar faces and new signings, Martin deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation that leaned heavily on possession and ball movement — trademarks of his stints at Southampton and Swansea.

However, in the first half, Rangers were overwhelmed by a slick and physically superior Brugge side. The Belgians stormed into a 2-0 lead inside 13 minutes, with Hugo Veltesen and Ludovit Reis taking advantage of a sluggish home defence.

The Ibrox crowd showed signs of frustration at the break, with some jeers echoing around the stadium — a rare sound during a pre-season fixture. While the boos were arguably harsh, they reflected the lack of cohesion on display.

The defence, particularly Robin Propper and Leon King, struggled to cope, and Rangers posed little threat in attack. Danilo, leading the line, had minimal impact.

Only one new signing, Max Aarons, started the match, while centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez featured for the final 30 minutes. Other recent arrivals — Joe Rothwell, Lyall Cameron, and Thelo Aasgaard — did not feature, though the latter warmed up with the squad. With several key players absent through injury or potential transfers — including Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane — Martin’s options were limited.

The second half brought improvement. Substitutes Jack Butland, James Tavernier, Bailey Rice, Mohamed Diomande, and Nedim Bajrami injected energy and composure. Diomande, ever-influential, scored just six minutes after the restart following a Brugge error, and Rangers began to exert more control.

Interestingly, Tavernier was deployed at centre-half, allowing Aarons to continue at right-back. The reshuffle added balance, and Rangers looked more assured defensively. Findlay Curtis, the only player to complete the full 90 minutes, capped a strong performance by netting a late equaliser with a composed finish.

Despite a poor opening half, the final whistle brought applause rather than anger, a nod to the visible second-half progress. Martin’s blueprint is beginning to take shape, but time and patience will be crucial.

With a Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos looming on July 22, Rangers now head to St George’s Park for an intensive training camp.

This pre-season outing was a useful gauge of where Rangers stand under their new manager — a work in progress, certainly, but one showing flickers of promise.