Rangers latest recruit could surprise a few fans, Ben Davies might not have the obvious athleticism of Calvin Bassey or the enthusiasm of an 8-year old kid playing football with his mates, but it doesn’t make him any less of a player.
What he might lack in power though he makes up for in his reading of the game and his technical ability with Patrick Caskie, who contributes to The Rangers Review and This is Ibrox, analysing the 26-year old centre-half and how he compares to the departing Bassey.
Writing on his Twitter page, Caskie gave his immediate verdict before running the numbers:
“Seems to fit the desired profile and will undoubtedly be a dependable and solid option. A bit disappointed as I thought if there was ever a time to push the boat out, it’s now. Hoping to see a younger higher-ceiling LB brought in to finish replacing Bassey.”
This seems to be the common consensus, that Davies will be reliable, solid and exactly what he says on the tin, less exciting than Bassey but more consistent.
Different leagues, clubs, systems, roles, responsibilities and junctures of their careers, but it’s still an interesting comparison. https://t.co/qZzJRIgcy7 pic.twitter.com/KAiK2iZoUk
— Patrick Caskie (@patrickcaskie) July 17, 2022
Davies spent time on loan at Sheffield United last season so his numbers are very respectable for what is known to be a physical league, he was also playing for a team that is nowhere near as dominant as the one Bassey was playing in.
It’s interesting that Caskie reckons the profile of Davies suggests that we will bring in more of a maverick at left-back but, with Borna Barisic already in-situ – we’ll just need to wait and see, however, he could well be right….