The good, the Tav and the Goldson

A lot of what I will say in this blog may or may not ‘irk’ some people but I can only reflect on yesterday’s game as honestly as I can.

Rangers have done very well to be in this position and I hold the belief that this management team have done exceptionally well to achieve what they have done with this squad. I say that because I believe we lack the necessary quality throughout and he is dealing with players he is squeezing the best out of. I’m not saying I believe we are poor but where we need to be we have still some way to go before we achieve that.

This squad is capable of choosing nonsense, both collectively and individually, as much as it is capable of showing desire and grit to get us through. In ninety minutes yesterday we showed both traits in abundance.

First of all I think Phillipe Clement got the selection wrong or if I am more reserved, his selection didn’t work.

Tom Lawrence was well off it, his lack of pace and mobility was hugely exposed in the middle as our three were overrun by Celtic’s midfield. Diomande and Lundstram just don’t look right together, I can’t put my finger on why, do they not compliment each other properly I’m not sure, but either way our press and game was easily negated. The midfield was chasing shadows and completely overrun.

Then the front three offered very little, Cyriel Dessers often running a lone furrow up front with both wide men miles off it. Scott Wright experiment needs to stop quickly regardless of who is available or not, he’s miles away from being good enough even if he is a lad and player I like. He offered nothing, didn’t press, didn’t track back and was extremely poor on and off the ball. Fabio Silva’s amateur theatrics during the first half were both embarrassing and frustrating to the point his teammates, noticeably John Lundstram, were telling him to get up. His lack of involvement as frustrating as Wright on the other side.

So the two big selection decisions, Wright and Lawrence, contributed to a team that didn’t look anywhere near comfortable or even in sync during a first half which was as poor as anyone has seen under Clement.

The truth is it was 0-2 going on three or four. Celtic ran all over the top of us and Rangers were rocked by a dreadful start.

So here’s the bit where it becomes difficult.

James Tavernier completely sold the jerseys twenty seconds in and it’s a brain fart, or a nonsense, we have become accustomed too and it’s why many criticise him so much.

His lack of awareness cost him last week against Hibs as he failed to track his runner and once again here he is completely unaware of Maeda running in. Then when he does wake up he has Jack Butland waiting on an easy pass or the option to play it out for a corner but chooses the worst option and costs us a goal.

The uncomfortable truth is Celtic targeted him and he couldn’t cope time and time again, left exposed by lack of support admittedly, he almost cost another goal as he was robbed after sleeping on the ball and Celtic whipped it over to their right for a cross with Butland making a world class save to tip over from a header.

James Tavernier is a wonderful player for Rangers, 23 goals and 10 assists is ridiculous but many will point to this moment and many others he continues to have. However, at least he had the balls to fight back with a second half recovery and penalty conversion.

Then there is Connor Goldson, ponderous at the first goal he also stops offering no outball either. But that was the least of his problems in a day where he was extremely poor throughout. His delivery was chronic, ball after ball overhit, but his brain fart moment came as he cost the penalty as his arm was out. What he was doing I’m not sure, I await people saying ‘Stevie that’s harsh’ but the brutal truth is he should know better.

He struggled throughout, missing a guilt edge header at 0-1 also, and Idah exposed him as he came on midway through the second half. To the point where, and this to me was telling, he didn’t survive the last three minutes as Clement took him off. Was he injured or did Clement recognise just how unsteady he was and believed Balogun was the better option? If it is the latter then we have a major problem and a big decision may have to be made.

Whilst people may think this is harsh on both or singling them out, the truth of both is they are our highest paid players and you have to expect bigger in the biggest games and crucial moments.

The problem for many is that this is the same actors in a recurring movie. I have criticised both and at times believe maybe it’s been harsh, especially on Tavernier, but it’s hard to defend either when things like yesterday happen.

But here’s the positives, it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

Celtic were miles ahead of us and at 0-2 should have been out of sight, but they weren’t and folded under pressure. They created little as Rangers were well on top in the second half and buckled to pressure not once but on several occasions throwing away a 0-2 and 2-3 lead with only minutes left.

Celtic will say this is a great result for them and they bossed this game, arguably that may be true, but the truth is their defence is equally as poor and they crumbled from a position that they shouldn’t have done so.

Rangers desire to keep going in that second half, to score three goals is a massive plus point for us and a draw, given the overall circumstances is not a bad result for us given how the afternoon went. Is it a good result?, then no, but that’s without the context of the game, because at home especially we want to win every game.

When was the last time we scored three in one half against them? When was the last time we got something from two down against them?

But as Clement said about this being a ‘Reference point’ there is plenty for Rangers to be positive about in that second half, the first half most definitely not.

Rangers have troubled Celtic in every game this season, creating big opportunities and arguably should have taken something in every game given the opportunities missed. For a Celtic team, that have at times dominated these games, that should trouble them as they have never really put us out of sight.

Rangers can most definitely hurt them back, but we have to cut out the nonsense because doing that at Parkhead will always cause massive issues, but they aren’t all conquering either and that’s worth reminding ourselves of.

But this isn’t all doom and gloom, we can go back top of the league with a victory in Dundee and the return of Abdallah Sima with his contribution can be the catalyst. A Matondo, Dessers and Sima front three may not be everyone’s original choice but undoubtedly with them all confident it may be a real positive for us.

This squad and team have done exceptionally well at times this season but the run in now must be as near as perfection as possible.

Clement will need to fix one or two things, the middle of the park is one perhaps, the centre back positions also, but perhaps it’s tweaked, changed or just a gentle reminder that we can’t afford to decide when we turn up in any game never mind a game of that magnitude.

We may be disappointed, we may be critical, be we are not defeated just yet and I’m certain Clement won’t allow that either.

Onwards to Wednesday Rangers.