Tavernier hits back with right response
PEPPERED by friendly fire, James Tavernier and Josh Windass adopted very different lines of defence.
Tavernier bounced back from having gifted a winning penalty to Hibs at the weekend by scoring a stunning goal on Tuesday night and making peace with his Rangers detractors.
Windass responded to fans unhappy with his performances of late by netting with an equally stunning strike — and then telling the critics to belt up.
Raising a finger to his lips to shush Rangers fans in Partick Thistle’s Jackie Husband Stand was no hanging offence. In a week when interim manager Graeme Murty has urged Windass to wise up and improve his decision making, however, Tavernier took the wiser course.
Pushing Scott Allan to the ground on Saturday damaged Rangers’ hopes of edging back into second place in the Ladbrokes Premiership above Aberdeen. His strike at Firhill brought the gap back to three points and made amends to the fans who earn the right to voice their opinion every time they buy a ticket.
Addressing the spot-kick converted by Hibs attacker Jamie Maclaren, Tavernier admitted: ‘I was disappointed with myself on the day. It is something that you just have to get out of your head straight away and just carry on.
‘That is what I did. I know I was disappointed, but the next day I was back to myself and I knew I just had to focus on this game.
‘I haven’t set any goal targets at the minute, I am just enjoying my football. I want to defend well, get clean sheets and there will be more assists that I am looking for, but I am delighted to get on the scoresheet as well. If I can get more, I will be more than happy.’
As for Windass, in terms of his goals and assists there’s little doubt he is emerging as an equally potent talent for the Glasgow outfit. Yet Murty admitted in the aftermath of the Thistle match to scratching his head at some of his wayward thinking.
A decision to tell his own supporters to be quiet — reiterating the message on Instagram and Twitter by reposting the image of his celebration with his finger to his lips — falls into the category of dubious judgment.
Tavernier, though, was quick to highlight the positives he brings to the Rangers team.
‘Josh has got goals in him,’ he said. ‘He is a quick player, who is good with his feet and has a real, good ability to score at the highest level.
‘Josh is a good lad and he is good to have in our team because we have got goals and assists. He definitely could go to the next level.
‘When you get to that stage where he is, it is just about getting that consistency of games, performances will come and shine out.
‘He has added goals to his game and got an assist as well, so it was a good day for him. Hopefully he can take that into the next game for us, too.’
Thistle entered Tuesday night’s game fancying their chances. Five wins in seven home games was supplemented by seven points from their last 12.
In the first half at least, the Maryhill side were unfortunate not to gain a foothold in the game. A narrow offside call ruled out a Ryan Edwards strike, while Conor Sammon struck the inside of the post with the final kick of the first half.
‘I have always known this place as a tough place to come,’ added Tavernier. ‘Obviously, it started off tough but this was one of the better performances we have produced here and we are just happy to get the three points and the clean sheet.’
A consistent danger in attack, the Rangers right-back finished the game as a contest with his 59th-minute strike, his sixth goal of the season.
‘It wasn’t a bad goal,’ he said with quiet understatement. ‘I was really happy with it.
‘I’m probably more disappointed with the chance I had just before the goal, when I cut inside in the box, but I am delighted to get the goal, delighted with the response from the boys and the clean sheet. ‘We wanted to get back to winning ways. We knew we had to get the three points and we did weather the storm a wee bit in the first half because they were on top of us. ‘The post helped us — but once we got that first goal it relieved the pressure and we played some good football in the second half.’
The opening effort was clinical and pleasing to the eye. Former Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha did not get everything right, but the capture of Daniel Candeias from Benfica for £650,000 has proven to be an excellent piece of business.
An eighth assist of the season came from a superbly weighted low ball from the right touchline, Windass timing his run perfectly to thump the ball into the top corner of the net.
‘I have got nothing but praise for Daniel since the first day he came in,’ said Tavernier. ‘He works really hard for the team, and I think he has more assists in the side than anybody now.
‘He has got a great cross on him and he works really hard for the lads, so I am very happy with him.’
Rangers face Ayr United in the fifth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup on Sunday. Seeking consistency in all areas, they now have to do the business amid the earthy pleasures of Somerset Park against an Ian McCall team currently lying second in League One.
‘We have to go there and put in another good display, another strong performance and come away with the win,’ added Tavernier.
‘Have I played there before? I might have, I can’t remember. I need to see a picture and then I might remember…’
Had he played at Somerset Park before, the suspicion is he’d remember it.