Rangers ran out deserved 2-0 winners against Celtic at Ibrox, on Sunday afternoon.
One man who was crucial to that, was the captain, James Tavernier.
It was he, who got the ball rolling early on. Clearly, his free-kick from wide left was initially intended as a cross.
However, the whip and pace he imparted on the ball meant that even though none of his teammates could get a touch, it flew past Scott Bain anyway.
1-0 Rangers in the second minute.
For the majority of the first half, the skipper then proceeded to try to make things happen down the right.
On multiple occasions, he skipped past his man with ease, while several crosses and through balls came close to setting up a second.
After the break, he was a little more subdued in an attacking sense, but rock solid at the back.
He’s often criticised by some sections of the Rangers support for his defending. Yet, there were no signs of frailties today, as Celtic’s wide men were well-marshaled.
Coming into his own as a leader
The 27-year-old was also noticeably vocal, throughout. His captaincy has been questioned at times, but Steven Gerrard clearly believes in the right-back.
Whether it was free kicks in attacking areas or marking from corners, he could regularly be seen barking out orders.
The whole game provided another reminder of how influential he is to this Rangers team. With a whopping 14 goals and 14 assists in the SPL, surely he’s now starting to convert some of his detractors.
One thing is clear, it’s imperative the club manage to keep hold of him in the summer. With numbers like those, he’s bound to be attracting attention south of the border.
You would also think offers will start considerably above his £1.8m Transfermarkt valuation.
Yet, unless the Gers receive an astronomical offer, they shouldn’t even consider letting him go. They simply aren’t going to be able to find a replacement who will have anywhere near the same impact in the final third.
Tavernier is a star turn and one of the first names on the team sheet at Ibrox. Let’s hope that’s something we can still say, come next season.
