Rangers limped out of the Scottish Cup to Celtic following a penalty shoot-out on Sunday afternoon after a drab 0-0 draw at Ibrox.
The defeat, which followed a home draw in the league against Celtic in an Old Firm match Rangers looked to have sewn up by half-time, saw the same old questions regarding mentality creeping in once again.
Rangers dominance counts for nothing
Gers boss Danny Rohl stated that the defeat was “not about mentality”, but it is hard to see any other explanation.
Celtic went into the match without several key starters and failed to test Jack Butland once throughout 120 minutes, yet still advanced to the semi-final stage.
Rangers had efforts but nothing overly clear-cut, and that lack of creative edge or driving force stems from a lack of composure or leadership from the senior members of the squad.
Vice-captain John Souttar, dropped after some shaky recent performances, disrupted a previously solid back line following his extra-time introduction.
While the captain, James Tavernier, also introduced as a substitute, missed the opening, tone-setting spot kick in the shoot-out.
Tavernier did show some courage by facing the media as the senior figure within the Ibrox playing squad and taking responsibility.
“I’ve got to hold responsibility for it. I’ve got to put my penalty away,” he said.
“I expect myself to set a standard in a penalty shoot-out.”
A defining Old Firm moment
Sunday was one final opportunity for Tavernier to silence the doubters and put to bed the insults that he is a “serial loser” or “never a Rangers captain”.
Instead, his miss only amplified them in volume.
The former Newcastle full-back is no stranger to the Glasgow derby and understands the importance of the fixture.
“Not many of us have been involved in a game where we were more dominant, but that means nothing if you can’t win the game,” he said.
“A game is always defined by clinical moments and that was obviously lacking today.
“We had to win today and we didn’t. I can only apologise to the fans for that.”
An apology normally goes a long way in football, but Rangers supporters have simply heard it too many times before, often from the same voices, to buy into it again.
End of an era
For many, this felt like the final nail in Tavernier’s Rangers career.
His contract expires at the end of the season after a decade at Ibrox, but he has already lost his starting berth to Dujon Sterling and does not appear to be trusted in high-profile fixtures any longer.
It is a sad decline for a man who, for many years, was the first name on the Rangers team sheet.
“I obviously want to play but the manager holds the cards to all of it,” he said when asked about his omission from the starting line-up.
“You’ve just got to be fully behind the team whatever team he selects.”
With Rangers now out of both cups and trailing in the Premiership title race, Tavernier refused to dwell on the bigger picture and instead focused on the remaining league fixtures.
“I just want to give it my all like I’ve always done and that’s the best I possibly can do,” he said.
“The league is our focus now. We have to put our full energy into next week and make sure we get the three points.
“The boys have really come together and we’ve come back from setbacks before, so I’ve got confidence in these boys.
“We’d obviously like to see silverware at the end of the season but it’s game by game.”
Tavernier leadership judged in defining moments
They were hardly the most confident or inspiring words.
That is the underlying issue. At Rangers, you cannot simply “like to see” trophies – you must win them.
Tavernier has been hugely influential for Rangers over the years and at times has dragged the club above its level through sheer productivity and availability.
His goal contributions from right-back have been extraordinary, and his professionalism rarely questioned.
But leadership at Rangers is measured differently. It is judged in defining moments, in decisive matches, and particularly in Old Firm fixtures where the stakes are highest.
Too often during Tavernier’s captaincy, Rangers have fallen just short in those moments.
And Sunday, unfortunately for him, felt like another example of exactly that.
The end is nigh. The time for learning from mistakes is over and a disappointing end looks inevitable unless there is a serious diversion from the norm.
