With Rangers taking victory over Aberdeen yesterday evening, manager Graeme Murty and goalscorer James Tavernier have both given their thoughts on the game.
With Alfredo Morelos opening the scoring before Tavernier added a second from the penalty spot, Murty’s message as he spoke to the media and the Official Site post game was that he was confident there was ‘more to come’ from the group in the second half of the campaign.
‘This isn`t what we are going to look like at the end of the season. We are on the path, but that`s just the first step. The foundations were laid in Florida, and we are building on top of that now. There is more to come and I don`t feel you have seen the best of us as yet – we have more to do, we have work to put in and we have understanding to gain. Let`s not forget, this is the first time this group of players have played together, so for me, I think it`s an immensely positive evening.’
Murty went on to say.
‘Winning has to be a habit at this football club – full stop. The guys put in a really, really big shift today – we were good and at times we were slick, but at times we had to do the other side of it. We had to put our bodies on the line, and I saw guys doing that. Wes Foderingham pulled out a display there, when we really needed him, of some excellent saves just when we really needed him. He proved why he is one of, if not the, top goalkeeper in the league. We looked a threat, and we look ready for the second half of the season. We wanted to start on the front foot and we wanted to start positively. I thought our rotations were good and our movement was good. I have to say, we won`t face many teams as good as that many times this season.’
As for Tavernier, in his own interview following the match the fullback felt it was the perfect way to start 2018, especially as the 26 year old got an assist on the night as well.
‘It is great to start the second part of the season of with a win, it was nice to get the assist and the goal but more delighted we kept the clean sheet. There was a spell when we were under pressure and we kept it out of the goal so I am delighted with that and with all the new boys who have come in and put in a great performance tonight. I`m delighted we`re back into second after tonight too. I thought attacking we were really good today with the new boys and defensively I thought we were good too. Wes has saved a lot of shots today – the big man has done well back there!’
For his goal and assist in the game, he went on to say.
‘For the first the ball has been whipped in and it has come back out and I have seen Daniel with the ball and it is one of those moves that we normally do where I make the run and he plays it in. It has come across and I have just whipped it in first time and Alfredo has got on the end of it so I delighted we got the lead and we just moved on from there. We had some chances but we couldn`t put them in but just pleased we came in at half-time one-nil up. I was fine with the penalty because I knew where I was going to put it from the start so it was obviously a long time to wait but I was really calm with it and I`m really happy it went in.’
