SCOTTISH FOOTBALL: James Tavernier sure Rangers will hit their stride

Mark Warburton’s side have won only five of their opening 12 Ladbrokes Premiership games and sit third ahead of the visit of Dundee, who have won two games in a row.

With the Joey Barton saga behind them following the summer signing’s departure last week, Rangers have the chance to build some momentum ahead of a tough month of fixtures before the new year, when they face Hearts, twice, Aberdeen, Celtic and St Johnstone among others.

Tavernier said: “We’ve almost been disappointed the way we have started the season.

“We have not played as well as we could do and dropped points where we shouldn’t be dropping points.

“We have shown good glimpses of how well we can play football and if we carry on doing that then the points will come in and we will do better than we started off.

“We are getting there. The boys are gelling in and people are filling in for other people. It’s good at the minute.”

Rangers won their opening 11 matches in Tavernier’s debut season, albeit in a lower league, and the former Wigan defender is confident they can recapture that form on a consistent basis, despite drawing with bottom club Ross County on their most recent outing.

“We hit the ground running last season,” he said.

“I do see signs that we are getting to the best we can be and hopefully we can show that this weekend.

“There have been glimpses like I said, and I think the best is only to come.

“We have picked up quite a lot of points so far but we have not played our best, so as long as we play our best we can pick up maximum points.”

And the defender believes the three days off the players were handed has revitalised ahead the whole squad.

“We had a good few days off, it recharged the batteries; I went to see family and really enjoyed my time off.

“Anytime you get off, three or four days for example, is always great to the body and great to the mind, it sets you up for the games coming up.”