Originally published at: https://www.rangersnews.uk/columnist/rangers-need-captain-tavernier-back-to-his-best-vs-aberdeen/
Rangers take on Aberdeen on Saturday in yet another crucial Scottish Premiership fixture. Celtic’s three-point lead at the top of the table means the Gers can’t afford slip-ups, not least against the Dons, who currently occupy third spot [BBC Sport]. Derek McInnes’ men will be confident heading into the clash, too. They won three times…
It’s not just Tav why pick him out? Helander, Ojo, Arfield and Davis when he came on they all struggled in fact whole team were poor. So win lose or draw it’s a team effort stop picking on individuals. Anyhow getting back to Tav, give it a rest, on last week’s performance any of the players could be targeted. We need to be positive not slag the guys off, especially before a game against the Dons.
It’s not all about Tav, as is made clear here: ‘Against Livi in midweek, he was one of many who delivered a below-par performance’
I’m not slagging him off, i’m singling him out because for me, alongside Morelos, he is the most important cog in the Rangers team. When he plays well, it vastly improves Rangers’ chances of winning. I have constantly praised him on here, especially last season when people said he wasn’t captain material every time we dropped points. This isn’t singling him out and saying ‘look how bad this player is’, it’s recognising that he’s had a slight dip and reiterating his importance to the team ahead of a big game.
As for Helander, Ojo and Arfield - we have written pieces/assessments on all of those players in recent days.
When I write that the team are on an excellent run, you say they aren’t playing well and are getting lucky every week. When I look at things that need to be done better or players who could improve their performances, you say I’m being too negative.
1 Like
That’s Journalism…it’s not very often I will comment on individual players performance, single them out, or be highly critical of individuals, when I criticise it’s the whole team or a specific area.
Helander deserves all he gets from fans as he cost over 3 million and appears overated but not Tav he has been a rock and is playing in front of a dodgy central defence that has been changed when there was no need. What I will do is be consistent and my message is clear we need to stop nine in a row and as a team we are not covered in all areas, we are weak in some areas, and far too much money has been spent on certain individuals, with money spent on good players who are playing elsewhere. What good is that to a team that needs to stop Celtic and win a trophy.
You have to admit Parlane - you are hardly in any position to be criticising anyone for a lack of positivity!!
1 Like
Completely agree on Tav - he’s not the same force he was previously
As a few folks (including Parlane) have mentioned he does seem to be missing Candeias who he worked very well with on the right flank.
But also, there’s less of an onus on him to create going forward as in my opinion the team is far more balanced now from middle to front - so argument to say that Tav is having to focus more on the defensive side of the game, which while good has never been sparkling for me.
I think he’s learning to fit into a more balanced structure and still finding his feet a little - still a quality operator and he’ll come good soon enough I’m sure.
I am being critical of the journalist because he is targeting an individual, it’s got nothing to do with a lack of positivity, it’s personal attacks on players I don’t like. If he had criticised the whole defence I would not have an issue.
To be clear - it’s this bit I’m referring to - a bit like Boris Johnson having a go at someone for slagging off Jeremy Corbyn or something 
Definitely agree with the thoughts on the improved balance of the team and that changing things for Tav. Think he’s looked uncertain at times recently on where exactly he’s supposed to be during specific phases of play, and so has got caught in no man’s land every now and then.
But as you say, he’s a quality operator. As athletic as they come and you can tell it means a lot to him to be the skipper. Frustrates me when people say he doesn’t care enough to have the armband as if he didn’t, he’d have headed back to England long before now.
Great to see him stepping up on pens again and converting on Sat!
1 Like
Whole team played well, just hope it can be sustained on Thursday and that there is not many changes. I could hear Katic and Barasic shouting at each other in Croatian they really looked after each other and worked well as a team so I hope the defence remains the same, if only for a bit if consistency. Tav showed his captaincy skills with the two penalties, that took guts in such a big game as it was our first goal.