During his pre-match press conference ahead for Saturday lunchtime’s Old Firm derby, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers was asked whether one member of the Rangers XI would be viewed by the Premiership leaders as something of a weak link.
Rodgers, however, is intelligent and long-in-the-tooth enough to know that it’s never a good idea calling into question the qualities of an opposition player less than 24 hours before kick-off.
The last thing Rangers need, heading into the home of the enemy with the title on the line, is extra motivation.
So when the question was put to Rodgers, he responded not with the kind of jibe that would make for perfect dressing room decoration for his opposite number Philippe Clement. Instead, he kept his cards close to his chest, shrugged, and refused to confirm or deny whether Celtic would indeed be looking to expose the weaknesses in Rangers captain James Tavernier at Parkhead.
Celtic vs Rangers in latest Old Firm derby
“James is a really good player,” Rodgers begins, via Celtic TV on YouTube. “He’s been a really good captain for Rangers.”
Rodgers might not have wanted to admit it, at least not publicly, but Tavernier tends to struggle up against the man he’s likely to renew acquaintances with again tomorrow afternoon.
If any moment epitomised what Daizen Maeda brings to this Hoops side, it occurred just seconds after kick-off during April’s thrilling 3-3 derby draw at Ibrox. Pressing and hounding Tavernier in his trademark ferocious manner, the tireless Japan international deflected the ball past a despairing Jack Butland.
Tavernier, officially the highest-scoring ‘defender’ in British football history, has always done his best work at the other end of the pitch. Perhaps the biggest obstacle facing Clement is finding a way to deal with Maeda’s threat in the attacking third, while ensuring that Rangers’ biggest creative threat is not pinned back in his own half by the relentless running of Celtic’s number 38.
James Tavernier vs Daizen Maeda
“Daizen is an amazing athlete, physically,” Rodgers adds, while unwilling to address the Maeda vs Tavernier rivalry head on. “He scores goals, he’s a threat, he’s intense. (Maeda’s intensity) is very difficult to match.
“He’s a real specimen physically. In a pressing team, for us, that’s really vital.”
With 24 goals in all competitions, 2023/24 is already Tavernier’s most prolific season during a decade in Scottish football. If he is the first name on Clement’s team sheet, however, the former Monaco boss has some difficult decisions to make elsewhere.
Are Ben Davies and Ridvan Yilmaz fit enough to start after coming off the bench in last week’s 4-1 win over Kilmarnock? Davies has not started a game since October but may have to do against Celtic with Leon Balogun ‘a doubt’ and Connor Goldson out for the season.
“Nothing new (with regards to injuries). Only that Leon Balogun is a doubt,” Clement explains, Rangers without a host of first-teamers ahead of the campaign’s decisive final stretch.
“I am not sure yet if (Balogun) will be available. We will see tomorrow. Connor Goldson is still out. Ryan Jack is not fit enough but took some minutes with the under-18 team to get rhythm after a long time. Alex Lowry the same.
“Oscar Cortes still out. Rabbi Matondo still out, Abdallah Sima still out, and Danilo still out.”
