Gers disaster duo to get chance for derby redemption
06/05/2024 12:30
Rangers travel to Parkhead next weekend and there would be no better time for Philippe Clement to get his first Old Firm win.
It is status quo at the top of the table with three points and three goals the difference that the manager has to close with a squad hanging by a thread.
And he'll have to go there with a centre-half pairing that was far from convincing the last time that they played together in a derby as Rangers look to pull off the impossible under Philippe Clement.
Ben Davies and John Souttar can avenge Rangers disaster
Last April, in the third Old Firm of the season, Rangers went 12 points behind in the league due to a 3-2 defeat at Parkhead.
Playing in defence that day was John Souttar and Ben Davies.
The latter had been a regular throughout the season, however, Souttar had missed almost the entire campaign through an injury exacerbated on the opening day of the campaign.
It was not to be an afternoon that they will want to replay.
For all three goals and one that was disallowed, the pairing were at fault.
Davies for three of them.
At 0-0, Davies fell asleep as he allowed Kyogo Furuhashi to ghost in behind him, only for the assistant referee to raise his flag.
You would think that would be ample warning, however, not long after, Kyogo did it again and this time it counted.
| Games played as a pairing | 10 |
| Won | 6 |
| Drawn | 2 |
| Lost | 2 |
A James Tavernier free-kick got Rangers back into the game only for Ben Davies to have another howler.
Rather than seeing the ball out or attempt to clear it, Davies sclaffed a header into the danger area and the score was 2-1 to Celtic.
And things were about to get worse.
Jota made the score 3-1 when Souttar was loose with a passback and Allan McGregor showed the mobility of a bin lorry.
All three goals were preventable.
As Philippe Clement explained after the 4-1 win over Kilmarnock, it is a pairing that we will see again after Leon Balogun was subbed at half-time due to injury:
“That’s why we had to take him off.
“No clue for the moment, we will see in the next few days what the situation is. Again, everybody is ready to step in and do a job for the team."
Rangers defensive duo will need to be at their best at Parkhead
Ben Davies and John Souttar will both have to step up against Celtic next week because, a repeat of their performances in the 3-2 defeat last season will end out title challenge for another season.
A solid display and it is game on.
What should help, is that they will both be on their preferred sides and Davies, as a natural left footer, will help with the balance of the team and to break Celtic's press.
Souttar has been playing regularly enough now not to have any excuses and it was good to see Davies barking orders at the midfield when they were switiching off.
His future might not be at Ibrox, but Davies has a real chance to payback that £4m transfer fee and put himself in the shop window in the process.
