Fans right to boo poor Gers off the pitch, admits Tav
Rangers skipper James Tavernier accepted the blame for his side conceding an early goal that left them struggling to break down Livingston.
The Englishman revealed the players thrashed out their problems after the 1-1 draw that saw them fall four points behind Celtic in the title race.
He said: “We know that is not good enough. I have to take the blame for the first goal. It is poor defending by myself.
“After that they sit in, but we have more than enough time in the game to rectify it.
“Our first-half performance wasn’t good enough and in the second half we changed things and tried to create chances.
“But rescuing a point is not good enough, especially at home.
“I’m the captain and I have to take the full brunt of it. That’s why I’m in the position that I am.
“We all, including myself, deserve the criticism that we’ve got in the games that we’ve not performed.
“We had an honest chat in the changing room and we need to look at ourselves.”
Tavernier addressed the issue of again being booed off by the home fans.
He said: “We can only apologise to the fans who watched but we have to put it right as a team.
“It is only the boys in the changing room who can change things. The boss sets us out and we have got to deliver.
“We have not done that and we have let down the fans.
“They have got every right to boo us off coming off the pitch.
“We have to have a reaction in midweek against Napoli, though we know it will be a tough game.
“We need to come out fighting and show a real attitude.”
Livingston boss David Martindale had no complaint about his team having a player sent off after VAR asked the referee to have another look.
Substitute Morgan Boyes had initially been booked for a challenge on Alfredo Morelos.
Martindale said: “It’s a red card all day. I thought that at the time.
“I thought we’d been very lucky and had got away with one.
“I thought it could be a red card and as soon as he went to the monitor. I knew he was coming off.
“I don’t think there was any malice in the tackle.
“It’s probably one he shouldn’t be going into challenge for. He’s a wee bit late.
“Bar probably the strike from Lundstram and one save from our keeper, I don’t think we had a lot to worry about.
“With 11 men, I genuinely think we would have picked up three points.”