Russell Martin’s profession was on the proper trajectory. Within the house of fours years he had gone from the third tier to the Premier League.
However the brand new Rangers boss was served an almighty actuality examine in England’s high flight after being sacked by Southampton with the workforce backside in December.
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Martin guided Saints to promotion through the Championship play-offs in his first season in cost, however was dismissed after a 5-0 defeat to Tottenham made it 13 losses in 16 Premier League video games.
At that time, they solely had one win, in opposition to Everton in November, and their tally of 11 objectives was a league low.
Previous to his arrival at St Mary’s, the previous Ibrox defender gained a optimistic fame for his engaging, possession-based model at MK Dons and Swansea.
His potential to implement that method in the end led him to Southampton and the Premier League, however he confronted intense criticism for refusing to compromise in a division many regard because the world’s finest – and most unforgiving.
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On the time of Martin’s sacking, Saints had simply 5 factors from 16 video games.
Their objective distinction was -25. Solely 4 groups have had a worse objective distinction after 16 matches of a Premier League season.
Southampton had essentially the most errors resulting in objectives (10) and most errors resulting in photographs (26). Martin’s facet additionally confronted a league excessive of 108 photographs on track.
However these damning statistics definitely don’t imply he’s destined for failure at Ibrox.
Dig just a little deeper and there are underlying numbers that spotlight why the brand new Rangers regime have determined the ex-Scotland defender is their man.
[BBC]
Martin’s model is all about management. Regardless of being rooted to the foot of the desk, Saints nonetheless managed a median possession of 53% throughout the supervisor’s 16 Premier League video games.
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Over the course of the season, solely six groups – Manchester Metropolis, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Manchester United – averaged extra possession.
Martin’s groups preserve the ball nicely and so they cross the ball nicely. Remarkably, his Saints facet’s 88% passing accuracy was bettered solely by Man Metropolis final time period.
His defence nonetheless gave away a load of alternatives, although, accumulating an anticipated objectives (xG) in opposition to tally of 38 over simply 16 matches.
Nevertheless, the assault’s failure to take their probabilities let the supervisor down, scoring simply 11 objectives from an xG complete of 17.
How these numbers will translate to the Scottish Premiership with Rangers – a workforce with, by a distance, the second largest price range within the league – is unknown.
However, in idea, the brand new Ibrox hierarchy will count on Martin’s controlling model to convey them constant home outcomes.
[BBC]
