In the absence of the talismanic Alfredo Morelos, Rangers captain James Tavernier failed to step up and be counted against Celtic at Ibrox.
Rangers’ two longest serving players, the duo so often come up big for the club but in the absence of the Colombian, the Englishman failed to deliver. Quite literally.
Normally a behemoth on the right hand side, James Tavernier was a player shot in the defeat to Celtic, misplacing passes, running out of ideas and – rather tragically – constantly throwing his head up the sky and giving up when things didn’t go right.
When the Rangers captain appears to have thrown in the towel before the final whistle blows, then it’s hard to blame the rest of the team for following suit.
The Rangers skipper is prone to the odd high-profile shocker but it was the manner in which James Tavernier appeared to be so shaky against Celtic in light of the title pressure that rankles most.
Summed up by James Tavernier failing to react in the Celtic box after a shot was palmed out by Joe Hart, it was an unfocused and bitterly disappointing display from the Rangers skipper.
Rangers captain James Tavernier overseeing perennial domestic failure
Joining a long list of players who have their coats on shoogly pegs at Ibrox, the next few weeks are going to determine whether or not James Tavernier has the guts to be part of the team next season.
Before for all of the immense numbers, the assists, the goals and the penalties, Rangers have so far won only one trophy since James Tavernier joined the club in 2015.
That’s six years, and whilst last season’s league title might’ve been the most important, perhaps Tavernier’s status as captain is symbolic of the endemic issues at Ibrox stadium.
Butter it up anyway that you please, but amidst all the goals and assists, as things stand Tav’s Rangers career will go down as one of consistent failure and not of eternal glory.
Rangers captain James Tavernier isn’t the only player at the club whose status at Ibrox is being examined ahead of next season.
