Ally McCoist criticises Rangers defender James Tavernier

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Ally McCoist has told BT Sport (broadcast on 24/11; 14:20) that James Tavernier has not been good enough defensively lately after Rangers secured a 3-1 win at Hamilton on Sunday.

Steven Gerrard’s men have gone back to being level on points with Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership. But it was not a completely convincing performance from the Gers.

Ryan Jack opened the scoring before the visitors conceded a sloppy equaliser. Ryan Kent would then score twice either side of the break. But the scoreline perhaps does not tell the full story as the Light Blues were pushed during the second-half.

Accies tested Allan McGregor on a couple of occasions. And Rangers’s defence hardly covered themselves in glory at times. And after the full-time whistle, McCoist was extremely critical of Tavernier’s performance, insisting that the same problems are cropping up on a regular basis.

“Do you know the really disappointing thing about Tavernier? We’re having this conversation every second or third week. He’s a right-back, your initial job as a right-back is to defend,” he told BT Sport.

“I love him going forward, I think he’s brilliant going forward, I think he’s great from dead-balls. He can score goals from free-kicks. He’s a right-back. Your first job as a right-back is to defend and he’s not good enough at that at this moment in time.”

Tavernier does appear to go through stages where he cannot avoid criticism. He took a lot of stick in October when Rangers lost to Young Boys and drew with Hearts.

But there are also periods where the Englishman is outstanding. And it is telling that Gerrard has never lost faith in his captain.

It seems difficult to imagine Gerrard making any rash decisions off the back of Tavernier’s latest performance. But it is perhaps fair to say that it is becoming harder to argue with those supporters who suggest that it is becoming impossible to fully rely on Tavernier.