Rangers midfield – Lundstram and Davis just will not work

If there is one thing we’ve been preaching on Ibrox Noise pretty much since August 2021, it is that John Lundstram and Steven Davis cannot play together.

Lundstram, simply put, is held back by Davis’ game, or specifically his pace (or lack of), and the two in no way compliment each other, but in this rare case, do not partner well as opposites.

Indeed, this issue is why fans thought Lundstram was a dud, and why it wasn’t till Davo’s injuries that the new signing starting asserting himself properly.

Davis’ lack of physical pace gets in Lundstram’s way, and Lundstram just cannot play his natural game mainly because Davo is occupying the Englishman’s usual position.

This means Lunny is out of position, and uncomfortable making his big dominant strides because he finds the NI international where he wants to go himself.

Long story short, they just cannot work together, and we’ve seen time and time again this happen, only to see it being ignored and them being paired together yet again.

It was a major reason Rangers struggled at Anfield – the visitors couldn’t get a hold of midfield because we had Chalk and Cheese unable to work as a unit, ergo Liverpool overran us there as well as everywhere else.

Where does this leave Davis?

Truth is, as much-loved as he is, and he is, fans in the past month have started recognising he’s not the force he was. He’s also struggling for his country, and the more we hear ‘uncharacteristic mistake’ the less uncharacteristic they’re starting to be.

It means he really can’t start, except occasional low-ball (is there such a thing) SPL matches with little riding on them.

Lundstram is justifiably our best midfielder these days, and Ryan Jack is slowly starting to get his rhythm back. Those two have to be the first choice pairing which leaves no real room for Davis any more. Glen Kamara is kind of becoming complete surplus.

But Mother Time comes to us all and Davis has served us well.

Just, Gio, please don’t ever start Lundstram and Davo together again in any match which remotely matters.

We just won’t win.