Football Season Guide

Rangers face the challenge of closing a sizeable gap to Celtic at the top of the table and have appointed manager Russell Martin in order to try to do it. The shake up at Ibrox since last season needs to be a big one – and it has been. There are new owners at the Glasgow giants, and they have injected significant funds into the team, making them the biggest spenders in Scotland so far. The required overhaul, though, is huge, with a gulf between the Gers and Celtic last term. Martin’s tactics will be an important part of that. He is a manager who loves his team to command possession of the ball and press high when they do not have it. Look for the Gers to post some staggering possession numbers this season as a result. There are doubts, however, as to whether they have the qualities to break down deep-lying defences. In attack, Cyriel Dessers was a mixed back last season while Hamza Igamane’s reputation is perhaps still bigger than his current ability. Both might leave before the end of the transfer window, which would change the dynamic entirely. Danilo has looked as sharp as he ever has in pre-season, having struggled with injury problems. Out wide, Djeidi Gassama has joined up from Sheffield Wednesday and Oscar Cortes’ loan has been made permanent, despite the Colombian barely featuring for the club last term. Midfield should be an area of strength for the Gers, with Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande key figures here. Rangers have also recruited heavily in this area, with Thelo Aasgaard, Lyall Cameron and Joe Rothwell all arriving to provide depth to the squad. The biggest changes come in defence, where speed and quality on the ball are set to be vital attributes under Martin. James Tavernier could be displaced by Max Aarons following the arrival of the Englishman, while vital signings have come in defence in the form of Nasser Djiga on loan from Wolves and Emmanuel Fernandez from Peterborough. Both are highly rated. Jack Butland will need to have a better campaign in goal or faces losing his spot. This was a team well setup for European football last season but not well equipped for the Scottish league. The reverse might be true this time around.