Ibrox View: Veteran Davis still has major role to play for Rangers next season
If Rangers are to win the Scottish Premiership title this season, they are going to need all the cunning and knowhow they can muster.
After all, whether we like it or not, Celtic have the advantage of nine consecutive years of winning experience under their belt – and the significance of that must not be underestimated.
This season was a perfect example of just how important it can be.
The Gers were within touching distance with a game in hand at Christmas, but ended up finishing 13 points adrift of the Hoops.
And that’s where players like Steven Davis will need to step up to the plate and rally the troops next time around.
The Northern Ireland international will be 36 on New Year’s Day, but the stats would suggest that he can still cut it at the highest level of Scottish football.
In 2019/20, his pass completion rate was actually 0.5% higher than his career average, as per Wyscout.
It’s no anomaly either.
His dribble success rate was 5.3% better, he made more interceptions per 90 minutes, and his total action success rate was 3.5% higher.
Davis isn’t slowing down, he’s ageing like a fine wine.
And that, coupled with his sizeable experience, will be crucial for Rangers next term.
Take his assist for Jermain Defoe against Hibernian at the beginning of the season as an example.
This is prime Davis, and we love it.
Coming from deep, he takes down a high loose ball with an exquisite touch – as if his boots are coat in superglue.
But whereas most players would then slow things down and look to pick out an easy pass, the midfielder looks to cut straight to the heart of Hibs’ resolve.
Getting his head down straight away, he glides past two players, showing a turn of pace that a man half his age would be proud of.
It’s almost as if it catches the defenders off-guard, this sudden bout of sprightliness from such a seasoned campaigner.
But as with everything Davis does, there’s a real measure of class involved as well.
As he approaches the byline, he dinks a delightful ball over the Defoe at the back stick.
The most impressive thing about this is that he doesn’t even look up.
His awareness of the game and his anticipation of his teammate’s movement is so masterful that it’s as if he plays on feeling rather than sight half the time.
That pass itself is perfect, leaving Defoe with a simple nodded header from close-range, but really it’s the plethora of eye-catching skills that Davis exhibits in the build-up that deserve the attention.
The touch, the dash, the intelligence – these are all things that have been in the midfielder’s repertoire throughout his entire career.
Now that he can combine them with his incredible level of experience, he is, as we all know, an integral player for Steven Gerrard’s men.
Expect that to continue next season too.
In other Rangers news, Ibrox View: Rangers could get 20/21 boost after transfer reports on rival striker.