Russell Martin Drops Worrying Rangers Hint About Max Aarons | OneFootball

In the latest curiosity from Rangers manager Russell Martin, Ibrox Noise was most definitely unsurprised to learn of a strong implication of Tavernier and Aarons together; of something that Rangers fans, for the majority, will not be necessarily too happy to hear. The manager has already endorsed James Tavernier as captain. While Tavernier’s reliability at his age may now be in question, the manager has said if he plays, he will be captain. That is pretty categorical, but it’s not what this article is about.

Martin’s more recent comment to the nature of discussing the friendly against Barnsley revealed something quite stark regarding Tavernier and indeed new signing Max Aarons. Eagle-eyed Rangers fans who can recall distant past may remember that former manager Steven Gerrard once tried the Tavernier and Patterson joint, aka trying Tavernier as a winger. It was only a friendly and we believe it was against Newcastle. We can’t remember exactly, but it was tried once and Tavernier looked absolutely lost.

It was something that fans had been eager to see, but the captain looked completely out of sorts, didn’t know where to position himself, didn’t know how to track back, didn’t know how to attack, didn’t know how to dribble, didn’t know how to position in any way, shape or form and looked completely all at sea. Aka Rangers fans that day learned Tavernier could not play as a winger at all. He is a right back even if he doesn’t really play like one. He is a bizarre type of right back who uses space to overlap, who uses crossing and pops up in holes to score goals and of course takes penalties. He is definitely not a typical right back for love nor money.

Martin’s admission? Simply that he was potentially confirming that not only will Tavernier play, but that Max Aarons may be a left back. Tavernier and Aarons together Martin dropped the strong hint that all players must be able to play in positions they are not comfortable in. Rangers only have one left back, two if you count Ridvan, but that one left back is Jefte and he seems to be first choice. We are very much not embarrassed in riches at that position.

Martin’s admission, saying that both Tavernier and Aarons could play together and also that players have to be willing to play uncomfortable positions, suggests that Tavernier will continue at right back as per and Aarons could just be the new left back, even though Aarons is a right back. So yes, it does seem like the manager is quite keen on continuing mistakes made by previous managers. Nothing changes if nothing changes.