Tavernier Stays Resolute, But Do Rangers Have What It Takes?

Key Updates

Rangers’ captain James Tavernier is adamant that his team can still advance to the knockout rounds of the Europa League, despite having only garnered a single point from their first five matches.

In a recent encounter, ten-man Sporting Braga took advantage of a mistake from defender Nasser Djiga to pull off a 1-1 draw at Ibrox after Rodrigo Zalazar was sent off for a headbutt on Nicolas Raskin. Tavernier opened the scoring for Rangers just before halftime with a goal following a handball by Gabri Martinez, marking his 21st European goal and tying him with former striker Ally McCoist for the club’s all-time record.

The draw ended Rangers’ streak of seven consecutive European defeats, but with challenging away fixtures against Ferencvaros and Porto, along with a home match versus Ludogorets, the path to progressing requires a significant turnaround as nine points are essential to advance based on last season’s criteria.

The Game Summary

• Result: Rangers 1 – 1 Sporting Braga
• Goals:
  • Tavernier (Rangers)
  • Braga (Martinez own goal)
• Notable Events:
  • Rodrigo Zalazar sent off (Braga)
  • Nasser Djiga’s mistake leads to the equalizer

“I actually feel like we lost today,” Tavernier expressed. “As players for Rangers, winning is a must in every matchup. From now until the end of this competition, we need to embrace that mindset.” He emphasized that the team must build on this result moving forward.

Djiga’s blunder occurred when he misjudged a harmless ball, allowing it to fall into the path of Martinez, who equalized against the run of play. Rangers were hampered by injuries to John Souttar and Derek Cornelius, forcing Djiga into a critical starting role, and his mistake proved costly.

Tavernier added, “I have no issues with Nasser; errors happen, but we should have secured a win before that moment. We must exercise more patience and be clinical at both ends of the pitch. To achieve success, keeping a clean sheet is crucial, especially against a team reduced to ten men.”

Managerial Perspectives

Rohl’s Insights

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl reflected on the match: “It’s disappointing, no doubt. However, during the first 60 minutes, it felt like my squad was finally competitive in Europe, marking progress. Yet we must translate this into victories and tighten our play.”

He further elaborated, “In that second half, I believed we had control, and then one mistake led to a ‘cheap’ goal. Despite external conditions like the wind playing a part, there are improvements to be made to maintain our performance for the full 90 minutes. We’ve missed opportunities not just today but over the past four games.”

Rohl conveyed confidence in the direction of the team’s performance, saying, “There’s no doubt we’re heading in the right direction. In European competitions, mistakes can be costly, and that’s an area for us to work on, especially as I’ve seen great effort and resilience from this group since my arrival.”

Critiques from Pundits

Insights from Former Players

Former Rangers striker and manager Ally McCoist expressed his concerns: “I’m worried that the team may have peaked. I truly hope I’m mistaken. The mistakes leading to the conceded goal were not acceptable. My faith in these players taking Rangers to the next level is wavering; significant improvement is required.”

In a similar tone, ex-midfielder Andy Halliday commented, “The biggest issue seems to be mental lapses. That ball falling to Martinez should have been easily manageable. There was no opposing player even close to Djiga when he misjudged it.”

Fan Reactions

Many supporters voiced their frustrations:

• Gary: “If Rohl genuinely thinks that represents progression, he’s lost the plot. Fans deserve better.”
• Jonny: “Djiga and Fernandez lack quality. We need major changes; Tav’s constantly losing his calm with them.”
• David: “This Rangers squad is one of the worst to wear the blue shirt. None of them are fulfilling the club’s legacy.”
• Denis: “The team lacks strength and quality. January can’t come soon enough; hopefully, we’ll see some better signings.”
• Steven: “Let’s face it, Rangers won’t be reaching the next round. Even if we’d pulled off a win tonight, our defense isn’t good enough to triumph over Porto.”

In Conclusion

Rangers face a critical juncture as they strive to regain their footing in both domestic and European competitions. Continued evaluation of performance and potential reinforcements may be essential as they navigate the remainder of their fixtures.