MATTER OF RECORD
Tavernier thrilled to score but clean sheets are giving skipper more satisfaction
PERSPECTIVE can only be achieved by studying the whole picture; snapshots provide mere clues and pointers to the wider context.
When considering James Tavernier’s 250-game contribution to Rangers, then, the eye may be naturally drawn to the staggering – for a full-back – attacking numbers.
The goal he scored in Saturday’s 4-0 dismantling of Dundee United at Ibrox took the Englishman to 48 in total. And he’s chipped in with 77 assists during his four years in Glasgow.
Ask Tavernier himself about what matters, though, and he instantly tries to pull focus out and away from his own role.
A seventh consecutive clean sheet to start the season represented a new record, of course.
And so the Rangers captain, a defender often criticised for being more concerned with going forward than keeping opponents at bay, is entitled to feel satisfied with the collective effort.
‘I was delighted to get on the score sheet,’ said Tavernier. ‘But, first and foremost, I’m delighted for the team, the club and all the players for achieving another clean sheet.
‘To break that record was one of the first and foremost things we said we wanted to do.
‘There were a couple of moments when Dundee United had chances.
‘But they didn’t go in the back of the net — and we’re just so delighted to get that record.
‘It is difficult to put into words what it means. But it’s credit to the whole team, the entire squad. That goes from the front guys all the way back to the goalkeeper, all of us knowing our roles and what we have to do.
‘We want that to continue because it gives us the foundation for our attacking players, who can then go forward and create chances, score goals.
‘We now want this momentum to carry on and we go to Gibraltar in the Europa League looking for another clean sheet.
‘Keeping these clean sheets is about attitude. We were happy with the number of times we kept one last season — but we still wanted more.
‘We wanted to beat our record from last season, first and foremost. And we’ve started really well.
‘But that attitude comes right from the front, not just the defenders and goalkeeper. Collectively, we’ve been terrific defending teams as a whole.’
Rangers were certainly in a stingy mood on Saturday although, returning to the theme of perspective, it was often hard to tell.
For reasons yet to be explained, the new improvised seating area for media at Ibrox is tucked away in one corner, at pitch level … meaning anything happening down the other end of the park remains shrouded in mystery until Saturday night Sportscene.
Still, we could see the quality in the opening goal, Ryan Kent continuing his scoring run courtesy of a sublime one-two with Ianis Hagi, a mesmerising little sidestep to bamboozle his marker — and a super finish under keeper Benjamin Siegrist.
Tavernier followed up that 13th-minute opener just before half-time, sliding in to convert a deflected cross from left-back Borna Barisic while the United defence hesitated.
The fact that one full-back was crossing for the other to score said plenty about how Rangers had approached this game.
In their desire to keep a big duck egg next to opponents on the scoreboard, they didn’t take so much as a backwards step into anything resembling a defensive shell.
This despite losing first-choice central defender Leon Balogun during the warm-up, forcing Filip Helander to step in, before seeing Ryan Jack go down crocked after only nine minutes. Brandon Barker then pulled his hamstring before 20 minutes had elapsed.
It reflects well on Steven Gerrard that his men didn’t have an adverse reaction to this, with his post-match assertion that ‘We’re not relentless yet’ perhaps hinting at how close this team are to his ideal.
They upped the pace to new levels from the start of the second half, pressing and harrying as they picked off passes intended for tangerine jerseys.
They had to deal with another serious blow when Alfredo Morelos, who had come on for Barker, went off following a horrific challenge by Ryan Edwards barely ten minutes into the half.
The striker looked like he had a bullet hole just above his knee, yet the United defender’s piece of foul play — following through recklessly on a clearance — escaped so much as a yellow card from Kevin Clancy.
Rangers shrugged aside the loss of another key performer to make it 3-0 with just over 20 minutes left, Kemar Roofe getting the final touch in a sweeping move that began with sub Glen Kamara making an interception and launching a lightning counter.
United’s misery was complete when Rangers made it four just before full-time, Kent more than making amends for a couple of earlier missed chances with a reverse pass that set Hagi free down the right wing.
The Romanian dragged Mark Reynolds into an uncomfortable area, then played the perfect pass for sub Scott Arfield to sweep the ball beyond Siegrist with aplomb.
Tavernier singled out Kent for turning his undoubted talent into more tangible contributions to the cause, saying: ‘He’s been terrific with his goal contributions this season and rightly has just won Player of the Month.
‘He’s coming up with the goals now and that’s the one area where we wanted him to get better.
‘He gets in those attacking positions and we want him to be on the score sheet, want him to get assists. He’s doing that now and has been a real asset.
‘He maybe could have got a hat-trick against United but I’m delighted with how he’s playing and progressing.’
If Kent caught the eye and Steve Davis drew praise for continuing to make football seem like the easiest game in the world, we can’t ignore Tavernier.
He hasn’t always been a favourite among Rangers fans. But the
28-year-old is arguably in the best form of his career. At both ends of the park.
‘I’m still growing and still learning,’ he said.
‘The coaches and staff give me every backing to fulfil my potential and be the best I can possibly be.
‘I’m really excited about what this season might bring — and that’s credit to the whole team, as well as the management staff, for the way I’m playing.’
RANGERS (4-2-3-1): McLaughlin 6; Tavernier 7, Goldson 7, Helander 7, Barisic 7 (Bassey 58); Davis 7, Jack 5 (Kamara 18); Barker 5 (Morelos 22 (Arfield 58), Hagi 7, Kent 8; Roofe 7.
Substitutes not used: Firth, Itten, Edmondson, Patterson, Stewart. Booked: Barisic. DUNDEE UNITED (3-4-2-1): Siegrist 7; Neilson 6 (Freeman 81), Edwards 5, Reynolds 6; Bolton 5 (Sporle 81), Butcher 5, Powers 5 (Chalmers 46); Harkes 5, Pawlett 6; Clarke 5 (Shankland 59).
Substitutes not used: Mehmet, McMullan, Smith, Appere, Graham. Booked: Bolton, Edwards, Pawlett. Man of the match: Ryan Kent. Referee: Kevin Clancy.