Ben Davies to start against celtic?

[uneasydaz]

BEN DAVIES is set to start for Rangers in Saturday’s massive Old Firm title crunch.

SunSport understands stopper Leon Balogun won’t be risked in the huge clash, after hurting his back last weekend against Kilmarnock.

Davies, 28, came off the bench to make his first appearance in five months, and scored his first-ever Gers goal in the 4-1 win.

The centre-back is now expected to keep his place alongside John Souttar, with Ibrox boss Philippe Clement reluctant to take any chances on Balogun’s fitness.

The Nigeria international is expected to be back in time for the Scottish Cup final with Celtic on May 25. Connor Goldson is already out for the season after hurting medial knee ligaments last week in a freak training incident.

Davies and Souttar will now be paired in a must-win derby at Celtic Park, as Gers seek to draw level with the Hoops at the Premiership summit.

Midfielder Ryan Jack is also stepping up his latest fightback from injury.

The Scotland star made a Rangers B appearance against Queen’s Park in the Glasgow Cup at Gers’ training centre yesterday.

Jack has been out of first-team action since the March 7 Europa League tie away against Benfica.

Clement recently stated he hoped to get the 32-year-old involved before the end of the season as they chase a Treble.

He played the first half against the Spiders, but was taken off at the break as Gers look to ease him back into action.

Jack has made 24 appearances this season for Rangers and Scotland, half of them starts.

He is desperately hoping to feature again with just three league matches and the Scottish Cup final left this month.

National team boss Steve Clarke is also keeping an interest on Jack’s progress, as he ponders his 26-man squad for next month’s Euros finals.

His last cap came in the 3-3 qualifying draw against Norway at Hampden last November.

Jack’s Gers’ deal is up in June, and his seven-year Ibrox spell is expected to end as Clement prepares for major squad rebuilding.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

No issue with that.

More likely to struggle with someone like Vassell or Curtis Main, due to his physical limitations. It’s not ideal, but not the end of the world.

Will help us play through them as well.

 

[km_2083]

Yea i have the fear now after last time those two where at CB at that hole

 

[The Lone Sniper]

The good news keeps coming.

 

[JC85]

Oh ffs.

 

[Davieblue1977]

He might score the winner

 

[a_weir]

Papers really will churn out anything, won’t they?

‘Two most capable fit CBs will play’

 

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Nowhere near as bad as made out but hardly ideal coming in from the cold

 

[Thewandofpedro]

Still get the fear after he gave the ball away on the by line only for them to score

 

[PolmontLoyal1872]

I’m away for an early night.

 

[Cooper's left peg]

I'm completely shocked

 

[Nopapacnoparty]

Thought this would be the case after Killie game tbh, actually think he will fine.
Positive loyal.

 

[TQ3]

Aye, if he scores the winner for us, then leads us to clean sheets all the way through to the last whistle, some on here will be demanding he gets a new deal!

 

[JC85]

Still get the fear after he gave the ball away on the by line only for them to score

Gave the ball away? He absolutely shat himself and went up for a header with his eyes shut against a 5ft 8' George Michael lookalike. Should've been subbed and sacked on the spot.

 

[ThreestripeS]

Nowhere near as bad as made out but hardly ideal coming in from the cold

He had a absalute nightmare at parkhead.

The bheasts will be rubbing their hands if our back 4 is Tav Davies Souttar and Barasic.

Gave me the fear even writing it

 

[EC54]

Let's cut to the chase we are fkd it will be a minor miracle a victory there

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Gave the ball away? He absolutely shat himself and went up for a header with his eyes shut against a 5ft 8' George Michael lookalike.

He sclaffed the initial clearance, which is why he had to go for the header. Bizarre situation.

 

[TheFrenchTank]

A left-footed centre half is what we need in our starting eleven, more balanced.

Souttar is much more effective at right centre half, Davies is a decent passer as well.

 

[Johnny Yen]

Saturday is going to be just wonderful isn't it.

 

[RTD-BEAR]

We absoloutly have to load the midfield and sit deeper if we play a high line and inverted fbs with pace of davies and souttar they will rip us apart.

 

[TommyC]

Rangers player injured and can’t make a big game shocker….

 

[CF4]

Most likely will prove to be true but I'll wait and see, not gonna jump in trusting Robert Grieve from the Sun.

 

[dh1963]

We're an injury or a red card away from seeing Lundstram or King at centre half now.

 

[BobbyShearer]

 

[SDF]

He's started 4 games against Celtic. We've conceded 8 goals.

Anyone seeing this as a positive is a better man than me.

 

[DRAGO]

He had a absalute nightmare at parkhead.

The bheasts will be rubbing their hands if our back 4 is Tav Davies Souttar and Barasic.

Gave me the fear even writing it

FFS that's tonight's nightmare fuel sorted

 

[SJGF5]

He had a absalute nightmare at parkhead.

The bheasts will be rubbing their hands if our back 4 is Tav Davies Souttar and Barasic.

Gave me the fear even writing it

And we should really be rubbing our hands at their defence including the likes of Scales and Taylor...

 

[ThreestripeS]

actually think he will fine

Where have I heard that before?

 

[Japandroid]

 

[ThreestripeS]

And we should really be rubbing our hands at their defence including the likes of Scales and Taylor...

I'd agree with you if they never had Vickers and plug in there.

 

[SJGF5]

I'd agree with you if they never had Vickers and plug in there.

Would rather have Tav and Souttar than those two (especially so on the RB front).

 

[Blu_ultra]

Look, it’s not ideal, but let’s remember we’re playing a team who were beaten at home by Motherwell and Hearts. It’s not Brazil 70 we’re up against here. We can do this.

 

[LiborSionko14]

Look, it’s not ideal, but let’s remember we’re playing a team who were beaten at home by Motherwell and Hearts. It’s not Brazil 70 we’re up against here. We can do this.

We’re more than capable of making them look like it unfortunately though.

 

[ThreestripeS]

Would rather have Tav and Souttar than those two (especially so on the RB front).

Whit?
Did you watch Tav with Maeda the last game?

Vickers is there defence take him out its a game changer

 

[Now and forever]

We're not talking about an inexperienced teenager here. It's no huge downvrade on Balogun.

 

[Blu_ultra]

We’re more than capable of making them look like it unfortunately though.

True. Which is annoying. Some of the rattlers on my social media are ridiculously over confident. We’ve beaten far better teams than them in the last few years.

 

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

He had a absalute nightmare at parkhead.

The bheasts will be rubbing their hands if our back 4 is Tav Davies Souttar and Barasic.

Gave me the fear even writing it

He did but he was completely written off based on that one performance

 

[macaloon9]

He's started 4 games against Celtic. We've conceded 8 goals.

Anyone seeing this as a positive is a better man than me.

Not sure how you view being a fucking lunatic as better than you.

 

[Johnny Yen]

He's started 4 games against Celtic. We've conceded 8 goals.

Anyone seeing this as a positive is a better man than me.

Anyone seeing a positive has zero knowledge about football, there's a reason why he was out in the wilderness under PC.

 

[ThreestripeS]

He did but he was completely written off based on that one performance

Pretty sure their was other games he went I to tackles half hearted and it cost us goals.

 

[KingCarlos72]

%^*& it, start as you mean to go on and all that!

This season will leave its trauma

 

[Mozza]

Personally I think Davies is better suited to play against them than Balogun so this might be a rare occasion where an injury benefits us.

 

[Davie Weir]

Played well against Killie and we’ll need to hope he can build on that. Struggling to think of any of our center halves who’ve had a good game against them recently.

The one thing Ben Davies does improve us on is beating their press when we’re playing out from the back. Having two right footed center backs has hindered us previously and slows our play down massively. Against a pressing team like the scum a left footed center half is a positive.

 

[top_cat]

It won't end well. However, he is all we have.

 

[The Sasa Shuffle]

Where have I heard that before?

Every thread about Ben Davies up until his howler at the Piggery?

 

[WATP1979]

Was told earlier tonight via a 1st team player’s dad that Balogun is out

 

[FamousRFC]

Anyone seeing a positive has zero knowledge about football, there's a reason why he was out in the wilderness under PC.

What about his performances in europa league especially betis ? And to put it bluntly you have no clue why he’s been out so long and I would bet it’s %^*& all to do with ability

 

[ThreestripeS]

We're not talking about an inexperienced teenager here. It's no huge downvrade on Balogun.

We kept Davies and sold Mayo to Kilmarnock for 50k and mciness says hes the future Scotland captain and he's been brilliant every time against the bheasts.
So let's hope...

 

[The Lone Sniper]

True. Which is annoying. Some of the rattlers on my social media are ridiculously over confident. We’ve beaten far better teams than them in the last few years.

We've never gone to parkhead with an attack as rotten as Silva, Dessers & McCausland.

 

[Henrywatson115]

The Ryan jack situation could be interesting. Could be our curveball in the middle