James Tavernier - Rangers right back

VP89

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Has anyone got an opinion on this guy? His stats seem too good to be true. Apparently called "the Blue Cafu" :lol:

33 league appearances this season with 11 goals and 14 assists.

57 total appearances - 17 goals and 20 assists in all competitions.

For a right back that's pretty amazing, although I think he's also their designated penalty taker. Even still, he seems quite the player at the perfect age to add immediate value. He's 27 and English, obviously good going forward and has a great shot on him. Looks physically strong too.

I'll leave it to the regular Scottish League followers to give a better evaluation, but thought the player deserves his own thread.

Good age - tick
English - tick
Goals - tick
Assists - tick

 

Rozay

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SPL is League One level (at best) really, so difficult to judge properly.
 

VP89

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SPL is League One level (at best) really, so difficult to judge properly.
Still, he looks quite the player. Could be a gem for a good price.

I think he's had a similar output for a few seasons now. 15 goals in 15/16.
 

VP89

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How was he before this season? A one off or is he got these numbera regularly?
Last season - 9 goals 9 assists
16/17 - 2 goals 9 assists (not sure how Rangers as a squad were that season. It's a turbulent club!)
15/16 - 15 goals and 23 assists
 

duffer

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Made his debut 10 years ago and has been pretty shit for the majority of his career. Looks good in Scotland but then so does Scott Sinclair.

2009–2014 Newcastle United 2 (0)
2011Gateshead (loan) 13 (0)
2011Carlisle United (loan) 16 (0)
2011–2012Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 6 (0)
2012Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 7 (0)
2013Shrewsbury Town (loan) 1 (0)
2013–2014Rotherham United (loan) 27 (5)
2014–2015 Wigan Athletic 11 (0)
2015Bristol City (loan) 12 (3)
2015– Rangers 147 (33)
 

ninjaskill

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All but two of his goals were penalties I think, he can hit a good free kick though both shooting and delivering them. Bounced around the lower leagues pre rangers without really standing out, think he could be a good pickup for a PL club in the mid table pack for the reasons mentioned. Think united would be a step to far for him .
 

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Utter shite which is why he’s in the SPL. That’s also why he has been at Rangers for so long.
 

Hound Dog

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Talk about scraping the barrel...

He was class for Rotherham during their promotion winning campaign a few years back. This is League One we are talking about.
 

Ziggy Starduster

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I work with about a dozen Rangers fans - I can assure you, this guy is really average in a weak league. Those stats are definitely flattering.

Having watched Rangers on TV at work about a dozen times this season, he has never stood out or impressed me.
 
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SilentWitness

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Would be a good Championship player so probably worth a look.
 

Gio

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Come on guys the "SPL player = shite" level of analysis should have disappeared a long time ago. Different circumstances but we had plenty of the same silly comments on Van Dijk.

As much as he'd probably be an improvement on many of the anti-footballers you've had masquerading at full-back recently, he clearly isn't of the calibre a top Premiership side should be aiming for. Someone like Trippier might be a good comparison - lovely right peg, overlaps well, but defensively suspect. Pretty solid in 1v1 duels, but doesn't defend well against movement over his shoulder. A natural wing-back and best used in an attacking, territory dominating system. He was average last season as our defence was weaker and we didn't control the ball to the same extent. This year in a better team that plays higher up the park, he's pushed on to another level because it plays to his strengths.
 

Robbie Boy

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Come on guys the "SPL player = shite" level of analysis should have disappeared a long time ago. Different circumstances but we had plenty of the same silly comments on Van Dijk.

As much as he'd probably be an improvement on many of the anti-footballers you've had masquerading at full-back recently, he clearly isn't of the calibre a top Premiership side should be aiming for. Someone like Trippier might be a good comparison - lovely right peg, overlaps well, but defensively suspect. Pretty solid in 1v1 duels, but doesn't defend well against movement over his shoulder. A natural wing-back and best used in an attacking, territory dominating system. He was average last season as our defence was weaker and we didn't control the ball to the same extent. This year in a better team that plays higher up the park, he's pushed on to another level because it plays to his strengths.
He would struggle to get into some Championship sides ffs. He’s rubbish. Totally different circumstances to Wanyama, Van Dijk etc who’s talent was so obvious. This is far more of a Gary Hopper or Adam Matthews type signing. He’s nowhere near good enough for a top team nor even a top half PL team.
 

poleglass red

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his delivery is very good, but nah everything else he's not a top level PL defender. Championship maybe, relegation PL team.
 

steakpie

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He's one of the best players in the SPL. I think he's just about good enough for the PL but not for the top 6.
 

SportingCP96

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Good player for a very weak league but not quite for the EPL, Maybe a level like Brighton would be good. Also most of his goals are penalties.
 

VanAlden

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I work with about a dozen Rangers fans - I can assure you, this guy is really average in a weak league. Those stats are definitely flattering.

Having watched Rangers on TV at work about a dozen times this season, he has never stood out or impressed me.
I can assure you, as someone who attends Rangers matches every week, you're talking rubbish. Tav is a very good footballer. Nowhere near top end EPL level granted, but he's technically excellent and a great athlete. He can ping in an absolutely wicked crossed ball and that's why his assist stats are so impressive. I expect us to receive some bids for him in the summer, probably from the Championship or bottom tier EPL sides and he could easily cope at that level.
 

NoPace

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Come on guys the "SPL player = shite" level of analysis should have disappeared a long time ago. Different circumstances but we had plenty of the same silly comments on Van Dijk.

As much as he'd probably be an improvement on many of the anti-footballers you've had masquerading at full-back recently, he clearly isn't of the calibre a top Premiership side should be aiming for. Someone like Trippier might be a good comparison - lovely right peg, overlaps well, but defensively suspect. Pretty solid in 1v1 duels, but doesn't defend well against movement over his shoulder. A natural wing-back and best used in an attacking, territory dominating system. He was average last season as our defence was weaker and we didn't control the ball to the same extent. This year in a better team that plays higher up the park, he's pushed on to another level because it plays to his strengths.
Sounds like a wingback for a team playing 3 at the back, like Newcastle or Sheffield?
 

Pink Moon

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He's scored 14 of 17 penalties this season. His stats are totally misleading thanks to Scottish refs.

He's got a good delivery into the box, takes a good free kick and is overall very threatening going forward but he's abysmal defensively.

Being as unbiased as I can be I would say his level is the top end of the Championship.
 

Robbie Boy

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That's cute. I remember people saying the same about Henrik Larsson, Virgil van Dijk and Victor Wanyama.
Look back at my old posts about VVD and Wanyama or even read my other post in this thread. With some players the quality was obvious with others, it’s obvious that they’re at their level. Happens in every league, no need to take offence.
 

Reiver

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I've seen a fair bit of him. I'd say ar most he's very low level EPL but that could be overestimating his ability. His skillset, from what I've seen, seems more suited to midfield than defence.
 

VanAlden

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He's scored 14 of 17 penalties this season. His stats are totally misleading thanks to Scottish refs.

He's got a good delivery into the box, takes a good free kick and is overall very threatening going forward but he's abysmal defensively.

Being as unbiased as I can be I would say his level is the top end of the Championship.
Abysmal? Give us peace. He's currently the best full back in Scotland. If Tierney was pulling in those number of goals/assists he'd apparently be worth about £80m.
 

Cockney-Red

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He's basically another winger converted to a full back.

So like most modern fullbacks, he has some really good stats.

But once again, this is just another example of how useless stats can be in judging modern football.
 

Bastian

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Clicked on this thread bit excited, thought this might be the right-sided Kieran Tierney, read a few posts and felt super disappointed.