Ally McCoist wowed by James Tavernier vs Celtic as Rangers captain is let down by Alfredo Morelos
James Tavernier was lauded by Ally McCoist as he produced “fantastic” deliveries which Rangers teammate Alfredo Morelos contrived to miss vs Celtic.
With the Light Blues trailing late in the first half of an eventful Old Firm derby at Ibrox, the home side’s captain twice found his striker from corners, with the Colombian dominating substitute Josip Juranovic in the air.
The deliveries were perfect and had McCoist delighted, but Morelos missed the target with headers each time as the game went on to end level at 2-2.
Speaking live on the Sky Sports match commentary on Monday (2 January, 1.14pm) after the first chance McCoist said: “The ball in is fantastic, delivery is fantastic.
“You’ve got to hit the target there. It’s an absolutely free header, I think it’s Juranovic he loses initially. Must hit the target from there, it ends up a free header.”
After the same thing happened again five minutes later (1.19pm) he said: “I tell you, he’s loving playing on Juranovic. Again, look at this. Gives him a little bit of a nudge which he does really well. I don’t think the referee’s given a free kick.
“Again, I think he should be hitting the target with that Andy at the back post, that’s a real opportunity to score.”
Walker responded: “Yeah, he’s got to. I like his strength, I like him just getting that half-yard which is all you need. He’s bullied Juranovic a little bit there. But he couldn’t make it count.”
Went begging
Michael Beale will be pleased that his side were on top for the majority of the game but will be kicking himself that errors meant they didn’t come away with a win.
Morelos and Tavernier combined to gift Daizen Maeda an early opener, and while the Rangers skipper provided the striker with two chances for the pair to redeem themselves El Bufalo didn’t take them.
Tavernier did subsequently blast a penalty into the top corner and played himself into the game, but was beaten in the build up to the late Kyogo leveller after the Bears had taken control.
It was a day to forget for Morelos who was heavily involved but couldn’t get much right, and made the absence of Antonio Colak, on the bench after injury, more keenly felt.
Fashion Sakala and Ryan Kent led a stirring come back straight after half-time anyway, but if that renewed thrust had come on top of one or two goals from the first-half corners the game would have surely been won.
He put himself about but ultimately Morelos will be disappointed with his day, even though Beale’s side improved hugely from the previous derby defeat.
In other Rangers news, one Gers player was torn apart by a BBC pundit for his showing against Celtic.