James Tavernier among Rangers trio slammed as footage analysed – ‘wow’ says pundit
Noel Whelan has insisted Rangers made “three mistakes” for Eintracht Frankfurt’s equaliser in Wednesday’s Europa League final defeat.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Aberdeen striker claimed James Tavernier, Connor Goldson and Calvin Bassey should all have done better in the build-up to Rafael Borre’s strike,
In footage relayed by BT Sport (18 May), Filip Kostic was allowed time on Frankfurt’s left flank to cross the ball in for the goal.
The ball drifted past Goldson in the box, with Borre able to nip ahead of Bassey to score.
Whelan insisted the Gers duo, as well as James Tavernier, are to blame for the goal.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “Look, it could have been stopped out wide, with the cross coming in. I thought that was poor defending on the right-hand side by Tavernier.
“There was too much time and space to get the cross in. He needs to be a little bit closer and show a little bit more aggression to stop it at source.
“Then you’ve got the bounce in front of Connor Goldson. Put it into the stands. Then you’ve got Bassey, who had a fantastic game. That one split second allowed the man to nip in front of him for that crucial touch.
“I think when you look back at that goal there are three mistakes. Not just one, three. That is something where Van Bronckhorst will look back and think: ‘Wow, they could stop it there. They could clear it here. You could have been in front to clear it as well.’
“You could have defended better but you were just flat-footed, you switched off for that second. That’s what happens in finals, that’s what happens in games.
“You look back as a player and as a manager knowing that could have been dealt with so much better. That is that defining moment in games, a defining, negative moment for Rangers.
“You look back on it and think: ‘Wow, it’s not just one mistake, it’s three.'”
In other news, Goldson lucky to avoid ‘major’ controversy as Rangers footage analysed.