Philippe Clement cut a frustrated figure after Rangers loss to Lyon but will have learned a lot about who he can and who he can’t trust.
Worryingly for the manager, one of the biggest culprits in the squad appears to be James Tavernier with the Ibrox faithful losing patience at seeing the same goals conceded from the captain’s side.
Substituted after an hour in which he struggled badly against the Lyon attack, Tavernier will be a worried man now that Clement has Neraysho Kasanwirjo at his disposal.
James Tavernier faces uncertain Rangers future after Lyon hook
The Rangers boss also has previous for showing no mercy when it comes to experienced players who aren’t performing.
Before getting injured, Clement dropped Connor Goldson in what was a tough fixture against Hearts.
Not usually the sort of game to rotate your vice-captain and first choice centre-half.
That Goldson stayed on the bench for the next game before getting injured in training is as close to confirmation that he was dropped rather than just rested.
Clement has spoken already about Tavernier not playing as many games and yet he has started every one this season.
With Kasanwirjo impressing against Malmo and off the bench against Lyon, he deserves a chance against the bread and butter of the SPFL.
Clement hinted why “Nana” could be a better option for Rangers going forward in the right-back role:
“Yeah, that everybody can be replaced, and Tav played already a lot of games, so not much to say about that.
“And Nana showed also last couple of weeks that he can be a really good replacement, and he’s defensively very solid, so those are normal things.
“Like on the other side, players were changed, that is top football, and we’re going to play more than 60 games this season, so it’s impossible to play all these games.
“So in every good team in the world, our players change and sometimes start on the bench. It’s normal, whoever it is.”
Clement has no excuse with ready made Tavernier replacements
Rangers fans will find out soon enough if this is the beginning of the end for James Tavernier.
Logically, there is no point signing Dujon Sterling and Kasanwirjo if they are just going to sit and watch Tavernier let wingers past him on a weekly basis.
They have to play.
If that means dropping the captain, then so be it.
Rangers struggled with the pace and athleticism of Lyon’s attack in the Europa League, especially down the right-hand side.
Tavernier has always faced criticism about his positioning and back post defending, but it is painfully obvious that the manager now needs to make a change.
As Clement himself says, “everybody can be replaced”.
