Neil Lennon defends ‘one of the best’ James Tavernier from criticism after ‘sublime’ contribution to Rangers win over Hearts
The cross that James Tavernier produced for the winning Rangers goal against Hearts was “sublime” and the Ibrox captain is “one of the best” at his position, according to Neil Lennon.
The former Celtic boss said on PLZ Soccer’s The Football Show on 30 October that what the Gers right-back gives his side is “fantastic” in terms of goals and assists and scoffed at the criticism the Englishman receives when others contribute “nowhere near” as much.
Tavernier missed a first-half penalty in the 2-1 victory at Ibrox on 29 October amid a rough game for most of the afternoon, but stepped up in the 90th minute to score the equaliser from the spot and then produced a perfect assist in the 93rd, swinging a ball in from the right for Danilo to head home the winnner.
Lennon said (4m 10s): “You can’t take anything away from the second goal as well, that was a quality goal.
“Steven [Naismith] will be disappointed with the defending but the cross in from Tavernier, and the finish, was sublime.”
He went on: “Going forward he’s one of the best full-backs around, in terms of assists and goals themselves from open play, he scores goals in big games for Rangers, far more than you’d expect from a full-back.
“So I totally agree, I don’t really get the criticism. I don’t think he’s a great defender, I sometimes think people should look at playing him as a wing-back, but in terms of what he gives to the team with his actions rather than his words it’s fantastic…
“Tavernier’s technical crossing ability is wonderful. He actually hit that cross on the run, it’s a difficult skill to do. It’s a 40-yard cross with a bit of whip on it and it’s perfectly placed onto the head of Danilo, and that’s what he does…
“Take penalties out of it and you’re still looking at maybe 40-50 goals from a full-back which is an incredible return. And yet he does get criticism, I don’t know where it comes from, because there are other players who nowhere near contribute to the team the way he does.”
Leading by example
Tavernier’s late turnaround can’t mask the deficiencies of his, or the team’s, general struggle at Ibrox on Sunday but without it the week would be mired in all sorts of misery.
The defender, who turns 32 on Tuesday, has become the face of underachievement to many as the leader of a side that has struggled over the past two seasons for the most part.
But it is no exaggeration to suggest that he has been the most important Rangers player in that time and without him they would have been much worse off.
It doesn’t reflect particularly well on any of his teammates that a veteran full-back has been the most constant attacking force for a number of seasons.
And if Philippe Clement wants his time in charge to surpass that of his two predecessors he is surely going to need to establish a system which gets more out of the rest of the line-up.
He hasn’t been helped in that task by Michael Beale’s summer overhaul lumbering him with a squad that doesn’t look to be working properly, but it is six points from six so far which is a solid start and the captain doesn’t look to be going anywhere just yet.
In other Rangers news, the club “will have to” sign yet another striker in January and one man has put himself forward for the role.