Steven Davis

[plymouthranger 4,225]

Whilst there’s failure at almost every level of the club currently (board, manager, players), I think a massive part of our failure is down to not replacing Steven Davis. 
 

Modern day football requires a playmaker who can control the tempo of a game as well as stop the other team playing it their way. Steven Davis was an absolute master of this, yet since the Europa League run we’ve not had him or tried to replace him. 
 

Was listening to Heart and Hands show about the Champions League (the main event, a good listen), this week focusing on the 2002/03 season where Pirlo came to the fore as a deep lying playmaker. Couldn’t help but think who in our current squad can do that or was signed to do so. Barrons young and showing promising signs but isn’t that player yet, Diomande is too erratic, Sterling etc don’t have the technical ability. 
 

It’s no coincidence that since Davis was injured and subsequently retired, our OF record has taken a complete nosedive. We were linked with a midfielder from Sevilla, but seemingly have given up finding someone and are paying the price. 
 

Is this too simplistic a conclusion? 

[BlueSuedeSambas 56,359]

Everybody has known we need a number six for about two years now but for whatever reason we have decided to not address it. Replacing a player of the quality of Davis isn’t an easy thing to, but we haven’t even tried to, at least not properly anyway.

[Loyal72 13,561]

You think all of our problems, would've been solved by replacing Steven Davis?

I wish I was that optimistic tbh.

Core needs replacing, not just a number 6.

[Nameless Ghoul 6,155]

Got my hopes up hoping he had signed 

[BlueSuedeSambas 56,359]

1 minute ago, Loyal72 said:

You think all of our problems, would've been solved by replacing Steven Davis?

I wish I was that optimistic tbh.

Core needs replacing, not just a number 6.

We need a lot of players but a good number six changes the entire dynamic of this side. 

[Loyal72 13,561]

3 minutes ago, BlueSuedeSambas said:

We need a lot of players but a good number six changes the entire dynamic of this side. 

I'd kill for a good number six.

But I'd also kill for two decent CBs, two decent fullbacks, a striker and a winger. 

We could have Steven Davis right now, first time round version if you want, but the rest of the team is so ill-equipped that even he wouldn't make much of a difference to it.

[J-Maestro 13,887]

6 minutes ago, Loyal72 said:

You think all of our problems, would've been solved by replacing Steven Davis?

I wish I was that optimistic tbh.

Core needs replacing, not just a number 6.

It stabilises the middle of the park which is probably the most important part of the team, it should be supporting attack and protecting the defence. Ours does neither just now.

[bluenoz 32,372]

OP is right about Davis, but give me a Barry Ferguson-type any day of the week, especially against them.

[NixonRFC 1,563]

I don't think we'd be able to afford a player like Steven Davis now, the only way we managed to get Davis is because he's a bluenose and probably felt like he had a bit of unfinished business with us after the way he had do leave in 2012.

[BookWorm 4,710]

I always thought Raskin was meant for this role although his form has crashed so dramatically that it's clear he does not have the talent to fulfil this role or indeed have the talent for a huge money move to Chelsea like he previously mooted.

Davis was a Rolls-Royce of a player in that position when he was firing on all cylinders and my favourite Rangers player of the last good few years. It would be wonderful to have a number 6 with that ability once again orchestrating our midfield. As good as Barron is, I don't think he has the vision or raw talent to reach that leading level of a Davis or McCall.

[Malkytfp1 19,612]

I actually don't think it's a huge problem. If anything I think our problem partially comes from having too many of that type of midfielder. We seem to only be flooded by number 6 holding types. Were missing more of an Aribo/Arfield type who breaks the lines and supports the attack.

[Stunels 1,362]

Genuinely despair that anyone could think our problems could be solved by steve davis 

[Stunels 1,362]

Only way to solve anything at the club is a change of top-level management.  Get that right and you can start to sign the right men to fix whats going on at the pitch.  Nothing changes until the board changes

[Laudrupsleftfoot 12,208]

18 minutes ago, BookWorm said:

I always thought Raskin was meant for this role although his form has crashed so dramatically that it's clear he does not have the talent to fulfil this role or indeed have the talent for a huge money move to Chelsea like he previously mooted.

Davis was a Rolls-Royce of a player in that position when he was firing on all cylinders and my favourite Rangers player of the last good few years. It would be wonderful to have a number 6 with that ability once again orchestrating our midfield. As good as Barron is, I don't think he has the vision or raw talent to reach that leading level of a Davis or McCall.

Didn’t know Kevin Thomson posts on the forum

[SPWF 8,913]

1 hour ago, Malkytfp1 said:

I actually don't think it's a huge problem. If anything I think our problem partially comes from having too many of that type of midfielder. We seem to only be flooded by number 6 holding types. Were missing more of an Aribo/Arfield type who breaks the lines and supports the attack.

 The longer he’s been away the better a player he’s seems to have become. 

[Marky. 7,107]

Incredible player when you look back. His presence on and off the pitch was clear. Not one with obvious game-changing style on the eye, but one you even further appreciate when you realise what we lack without him.

[J-Maestro 13,887]

4 minutes ago, SPWF said:

 The longer he’s an away the better a player he’s seems to have become. 

His ability to do wee mazy runs and control a ball over the top was outstanding to be fair. 
 

Was absolutely invisible other times though.

[Somemightsay7 3,090]

There's a lot of issues in our team, but our complete lack of ability to control games is a consistent over the last couple years which a good ballplaying 6 in the middle of the pitch would help with a lot.

Most of our midfielders just seem to panic under pressure and take the easy pass back or lose the ball. I was really hoping Raskin would be that player when he came in but that obviously hasn't worked. 

[SPWF 8,913]

15 minutes ago, J-Maestro said:

His ability to do wee mazy runs and control a ball over the top was outstanding to be fair. 
 

Was absolutely invisible other times though.

Just another in a long line of largely pointless “good footballers” we’ve had over the years. Numbers were almost non existent and never turned up in big games. 

[King Jela 21,583]

Wouldn't have conceded those first 2 goals had a prime Davis been in that 6 position. 

Would've spotted bug eyes run and cut out the ball to Maeda. He would've been all over Furuhashi to stop him from getting that shot away when he was in acres of space. 

Why we don't have someone in that 6 position for these games is mind blowing to me. 

[Swagger 8,921]

1 hour ago, Loyal72 said:

You think all of our problems, would've been solved by replacing Steven Davis?

I wish I was that optimistic tbh.

Core needs replacing, not just a number 6.

Need another complete overhaul but 1 player of his quality would make a difference - we have zero quality at the moment 

[Malkytfp1 19,612]

1 hour ago, SPWF said:

 The longer he’s been away the better a player he’s seems to have become. 

Would walk into probably every midfield we've had since he left. It's more about that type of player than that specific player. Someone whocould beat a man and could break the lines and actually attack. 

[kanjo 26,489]

Replacing Davis is the issue.  In his prime first time he was here he’d be out of our price range I reckon.  Second time he steadied the ship but we only really got a solid 18 months of good form from him. 
 

As some alluded already to we desperately need a better structure off the park before we see improvements on it. 

[Jimfanciesthedude 25,563]

6 minutes ago, Malkytfp1 said:

Would walk into probably every midfield we've had since he left. It's more about that type of player than that specific player. Someone whocould beat a man and could break the lines and actually attack. 

And we would moan about him hiding every big game

[J-Maestro 13,887]

4 minutes ago, Jimfanciesthedude said:

And we would moan about him hiding every big game

He turned up in plenty of big games, he would have walked in to this time he just wouldn't have made a difference.