James Tavernier has incredibly stated that nobody can question Rangers’ mentality despite them crumbling heavily under intense Celtic pressure.
Tavernier has been at Ibrox since 2015. Throughout that period, he’s been a part of several Rangers teams who haven’t been able to cope with the heat put on by Celtic.
Last season, the right-back did win his first title with Rangers. However, throughout the season there was absolutely no pressure whatsoever given how poor Celtic were performing.
This year, it’s been back to normal with the Hoops 3 points clear at the summit of the Premiership. Yet after dropping 11 points to Celtic’s 2 since the winter break, Tavernier has incredibly tried to defend their evidently weak mentality.
As quoted by the Daily Record, he said: “Regardless of what they do, we concentrate on ourselves. I don’t think you can question the mentality of the side. If you look at the two games against Dortmund there is no questioning the mentality of the side.
“There are only three points in it. We are right there. Obviously, we are disappointed in some of the games dropping points but performances have been good and we just need to improve on small areas and results will come.
“We have been here before and we have to improve these situations and see out games. Wednesday (against St Johnstone) is massive for us and we have just got to look back on what we can improve on after coming from a really good win during the week.”
James Tavernier and co showing no signs of matching Celtic intensity
Yes, we’re aware Celtic dropped points against Hibernian on Sunday and that performances have been on the decline recently. However, that draw at Easter Road was our first domestic blip of 2022.
Rangers, meanwhile, are doing what they always seem to do when under pressure after the winter break. They’re shipping goals and points at an alarming rate. Remember, we were 6 points behind heading into the new year. Since then, the Ibrox club has barely managed to string together a meaningful run of wins.
You would back Celtic to go on a sustained winning run once again. Could you honestly say the same about Rangers? A team that looks so mentally fragile in this title race?
Tavernier brings up Dortmund, and fair play to them for that. However, it’s a much more different kind of pressure up against Premiership teams than it is when you have a free pass against a top Bundesliga side. When they play in the Premiership, they operate under a level of expectancy. That’s what they can’t live up to.
Tavernier says you can’t question Rangers’ mentality? They’ve been crumbling in close title-races with supporters in stadiums for years. There’s hardly anything to be confident about from their perspective.
Celtic are absolutely flying with a run of 10 wins in 11 domestic games. Rangers don’t look like coming close to matching form like that. Like it or not James, that’s the real truth.
In other news, Adam Montgomery injury update after Celtic loanee suffered frustrating blow with Aberdeen
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