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Rangers draw with Dundee as mentality questions linger
Rangers salvage a point at Ibrox after Dundee lead; the match ends 1-1 as Tavernier converts a stoppage-time penalty.
Rangers draw with Dundee at Ibrox, raising questions about the team's mindset under Russell Martin early in the season.
Rangers stall as Martin pushes to fix mentality after Dundee draw
Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw with Dundee at Ibrox after a stoppage-time penalty from James Tavernier, with Dundee having led in the second half. Nasser Djiga was sent off for a last-man foul, leaving Rangers with ten men and two points from their first two Scottish Premiership fixtures, the first time the club have failed to win their opening two league matches since 1989.
Cyriel Dessers thought he had settled it for Dundee before VAR ruled the goal out for offside. Rangers fired 20 shots, five on target, and completed 709 passes — the highest totals of the season so far in the league and the club’s best numbers since last season began. Martin said the opening display felt lethargic but that aggression and speed improved after the red card, and he acknowledged that changes might have helped. Rangers face St Mirren next and continue their Champions League qualifying campaign against Viktoria Plzen, where they lead 3-0 in the tie.
Key Takeaways
"I'm disappointed we didn't win the game, disappointed that we conceded a really poor goal."
Martin's post-match reaction after the Dundee draw
"The mentality was much better in terms of aggression and speed with and without the ball, but it shouldn't take that."
Martin on the turnaround after going down to ten men
"Nico Raskin was great when he came on, he tackled more than the whole team."
Acknowledgment of Raskin's impact as a substitute
"The fans have lacked the success they want for quite some time so I understand the frustration."
Martin acknowledging fan frustration
Martin inherits a squad in transition, and the early results underscore a broader challenge: a team that talks of intensity but shows signs of hesitation at kick-off. The red card forced a rework in-game, and his comments signal a willingness to adjust on the fly, but the real test is consistency across 90 minutes and a run of fixtures. If results don’t improve soon, the leadership questions that come with a rebuild will sharpen.
The clash with Viktoria Plzen offers a potential lift, but domestic form must catch up with European progress. Fans want a clear plan, sponsors seek stability, and players need evidence that this rebuild can translate into tangible gains quickly. The coming weeks will reveal whether the mindset Martin seeks can survive the pressure and scrutiny that comes with a club of Rangers’ stature.
Highlights
- Turn energy into results before the season slips away.
- Mentality has to start from the first kick.
- Nico Raskin was great when he came on, he tackled more than the whole team.
- Fans deserve progress and clear answers after a slow start.
Public reaction risk to slow start and leadership questions
Rangers' poor early results can prompt fan backlash and pressure on management. The club faces scrutiny from media and sponsors if results do not improve quickly, potentially affecting morale and finances.
Time will tell if this marks a real shift at Ibrox or a temporary bounce back under pressure.
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