‘Shambles’ – Kris Commons claims Ibrox exit is ‘inevitable’ for Rangers stalwart
Kris Commons has claimed that it is now “inevitable” that Rangers captain James Tavernier will leave the club this summer.
The 28-year-old was ruled out of Sunday’s 1-0 win over Ross County through injury after being withdrawn from the midweek defeat to Hamilton.
Prior to that match he had courted controversy by openly suggesting in his programme notes that the Gers were not capable of dealing with the pressure of a prolonged title challenge.
Football Insider have since reported that the club are willing to slash their asking price for the skipper in an effort to get him off the books this summer.
And Commons has suggested that it is only a matter of time before he leaves Glasgow.
Writing in a column for the print edition of the Daily Mail, as per the Scottish Sun, he said:
“For James Tavernier to come out last week and basically admit that Rangers are bottle merchants was a staggering error of judgment on so many levels.
It’s fair to say that, with the exception of their Europa League run, the wheels have come off in spectacular fashion for the Gers this season, and while it would be unfair to blame one player alone for the mess they are in, it does feel as if Tavernier is largely emblematic of the issues Steven Gerrard’s men are facing.
As well as the persistent reporting that he could be on his way out of the club, Tavernier has struggled to hit the heights that he has reached in the past.
So far this season, his pass completion rate has fallen by 1.9% compared to what it was last term, his cross accuracy rate has fallen by a mammoth 13.6%, and his expected goals per game ratio has dropped by 0.12, with his actual goals per game falling by 0.22, as per Wyscout.
Of course, ordinarily, you could argue that these stats have little relevance to a full-back, but the reality is that Tavernier is supposed to be so much more than that for Rangers.
His biggest draw has always been his attacking prowess, and if you take that away from him – including the trust needed for him to take penalty kicks – then you are left with a player whose worth to the side is vastly reduced.
In other Rangers news, Ibrox View: Stunning Sunday intervention from Gers ace reiterates enormous importance.