Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is already feeling the warmth of the Ibrox fireplace after solely a month or so of aggressive matches in command of the membership.
The Gentle Blues boss is managing away from Ibrox this night, although, as his workforce appears to be like to beat a 3-1 deficit to qualify for the Champions League in opposition to Membership Brugge.
Martin has received simply three of his 9 matches in command of the membership so far and the latest conflict with St Mirren didn’t do a lot to assist his relationship with the fanbase.
The previous Scotland worldwide wanted a deflected effort from distance from substitute Findlay Curtis to rescue a degree for the workforce within the Scottish Premiership conflict.
There have been plenty of gamers who put in regarding performances throughout the park in that draw, and it was not solely Martin’s system or techniques that have been accountable.
Summer season signing Emmanuel Fernandez began alongside John Souttar on the coronary heart of the defence, with Nasser Djiga suspended, however query marks stay over his suitability for the workforce.
Why there are query marks over Emmanuel Fernandez
The Gentle Blues introduced the English centre-back in from League One facet Peterborough United for a charge of £3.5m, nevertheless it stays to be seen whether or not or not he has what it takes to be a daily starter for Martin.
Within the draw with St Mirren, you might see the positives and negatives to his type of play. His towering body meant that he was capable of dominate the opposition forwards in bodily contests, profitable all seven of his aerial battles and 5 of his eight floor duels, per Sofascore.
Nevertheless, he additionally appeared nearly too relaxed and laid again at factors, with opposition gamers capable of get in behind him or get to balls first earlier than a duel may even be contested.
That strategy to defending and taking part in in possession could also be why he was liable to the occasional error throughout his time at Peterborough within the third tier of English soccer final season.
24/25 League One | Emmanuel Fernandez |
|---|---|
Appearances | 30 |
Targets | 5 |
Floor duel success fee | 55% |
Aerial duel success fee | 64% |
Error led to shot | 1 |
Error led to purpose | 1 |
Pink playing cards | 2 |
Stats by way of Sofascore | |
As you may see within the desk above, Fernandez was largely dominant in his duels on the bottom and within the air, as you’d count on from a centre-back along with his bodily attributes.
Two errors that led to photographs or targets for the opposition and two pink playing cards, within the third division in opposition to decrease high quality opposition, don’t counsel that he’s instantly able to be a dependable determine for Rangers in huge video games in Europe or in opposition to Celtic.
Fernandez seems to have too many lapses in focus for the time being, which was additionally the case when he switched off and allowed his ahead to attain from a yard out, uncontested, in opposition to Alloa Athletic within the League Cup earlier this month.
Rangers plotting transfer for Premier League defender
Supporters might, due to this fact, be happy to be taught that the membership are reportedly eager on signing one other defender who may are available as an prompt improve on Fernandez.
In accordance with The Scottish Solar, Rangers are fascinated with a deal to signal Bournemouth centre-back Chris Mepham to bolster their choices on the coronary heart of the defence.
The report claims that the Gentle Blues are getting ready to make a proposal to deliver the Wales worldwide as much as Ibrox, as he solely has one yr left on his contract on the Vitality Stadium.
It provides that Mepham is surplus to necessities with Andoni Iraola’s Premier League facet, and that the Cherries are ‘eager’ to maneuver him on earlier than the summer time switch window slams shut subsequent week.
Bournemouth signed the Welsh titan for a charge of £12m from Brentford in 2019, however the report claims that the Gers may bid in an try and land a cut-price deal for the defender.
UPDATE: Fabrizio Romano has since reported that West Bromwich Albion are closing in on a deal to signal the defender after agreeing a charge with Bournemouth, which signifies that the Scottish giants are going to have to maneuver extremely rapidly in the event that they wish to hijack this switch.
Why Rangers ought to signal Chris Mepham
Rangers ought to be pushing to be sure that they will get a deal completed for Mepham earlier than the deadline subsequent Monday as a result of he may are available as an prompt improve on Fernandez.
The 27-year-old star would arrive at Ibrox within the prime years of his profession as a centre-back who might be anticipated to hit the bottom operating and ship dependable performances from day one.
Mepham has solely been despatched off twice in over 200 matches at membership degree, together with simply as soon as within the final 4 seasons, per Transfermarkt, and this reveals that he might not be as rash or inexperienced as Fernandez, who noticed pink twice final season.
The Wales worldwide additionally performed home soccer within the division above the one which Fernandez performed in in the course of the 2024/25 marketing campaign, incomes promotion to the Premier League with Sunderland on mortgage, while the English defender didn’t get promoted out of League One.
24/25 Championship | Chris Mepham per 90 | Percentile rank vs CBs |
|---|---|---|
Go accuracy | 86.7% | Prime 18% |
Progressive passes | 3.99 | Prime 19% |
Progressive carries | 1.13 | Prime 10% |
Profitable take-ons | 0.41 | Prime 16% |
Passes into the ultimate third | 3.90 | Prime 17% |
Passes into the penalty space | 0.22 | Prime 38% |
Stats by way of FBref | ||
As you may see within the desk above, the Black Cats loanee excelled in possession in Regis Le Bris’ facet within the Championship, rating extremely in a bunch of metrics.
This implies that he can be a superb match for what Rangers are attempting to do as a result of he has the passing means from a centre-back place to search out teammates in harmful positions frequently, doubtlessly serving to his facet to interrupt down low blocks extra successfully than Rangers have completed to this point.
Talking about Mepham, Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil stated: “However I’ve to present huge credit score to Chris Mepham as effectively. He is been excellent this season on and off the pitch. Off the pitch he is introduced the squad collectively such as you would not consider.”
This speaks to each the standard of his performances and the form of character and management that the centre-back may present Rangers with. Given the poor begin to the season and the rising frustration across the outcomes, having an skilled chief like Mepham may very well be an actual increase for Martin and the squad.
On high of his in-possession qualities and management abilities, the Welsh colossus may also be a dominant presence on the again in the identical means that Fernandez is, having received 59% of his duels within the Championship final time period, per Sofascore.
Due to this fact, Rangers may land an prompt improve on Fernandez by signing Mepham to offer the identical degree of physicality while providing extra to the workforce in possession and as a management determine, with extra dependable and constant performances.
