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Rangers Fan View: James Tavernier has been reborn following change of style

He has often been a target for the hecklers at Ibrox during his Rangers career. “He can’t defend” being the main criticism. Bafflingly, it got to the point where Rangers fans were calling for Lee Hodson to replace him at right-back.

This season, however, James Tavernier has been like a new signing. I have always been a backer of him. And believed that we would get the best from Tavernier in a more structured and organised system rather than last season no-holds barred 4-3-3 under Mark Warburton.

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A lot of Tavernier’s improvement is down to the way we play. He is useful outlet going forward and getting us up the park at times. With Ryan Jack being able to fill in gaps when he goes forward and the work rate and positional awareness of Daniel Candeias in front of him, it makes Tavernier look much comfortable.

Furthermore, in this 4-4-2 system we are employing, with emphasis on creating chances from the wide areas, Tavernier and Candeias’ partnership has been a great outlet for us. To be honest, it’s probably the strongest partnership in the side.

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As for Tavernier, his stats do not lie. Last season across all competitions he got one goal, which came against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park and six assists. Bearing in mind we are only in the middle of September, he has two goals and three assists after eight games in all competitions. Those numbers show a marked improvement in the attacking side of his game. It helps that Candeias has one goal and two assists to his name, which proves that there has been an overall improvement from the right-hand side of the pitch.

Conversely, Lee Wallace and Josh Windass, who have been on the left this season, have one assist apiece and Windass has one goal to his name. If they can get a partnership like Tavernier and Candeias have on the right, we will be in fine fettle.

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However, to go back to the “he can’t defend” argument. Only one goal from memory that we have conceded in the league has come down the right-hand side. That was Simon Murray’s against Hibs; the rest have been from set-pieces or have come down Lee Wallace’s side.

There is no doubt he has some faults in his game; he’s not the complete full-back by any manner of means. However, when he is playing in a team that is capable of working as a unit, we can see how his marauding runs and goal-threat can pose opposing teams problems.

Moreover, It’s nice to see him getting some credit and it’s also nice to see that some fans now seem to realise he cannot be in two positions on the park at the one time.

Hopefully, as the season goes on, he will get stronger and stronger. With any luck, he can keep up his consistency of performance and have a season akin to his debut one at Ibrox. That season he earned the nickname ‘the Blue Cafu.’ He’s got a long way to go to equal that, but so far he’s on the right track.