When Steven Davis and Scott Arfield were offered, and signed, new Rangers contracts earlier in the summer, there were a few dissenting voices – mine included – with the view being that they would block both Alex Lowry and Charlie McCann in terms of their progression to the first-team after promising appearances at the end of last season.
With Arfield scoring a key goal against Livingston off the bench and Davis being instrumental in our win over Kilmarnock, it looks as though the veterans could yet play a key role in our hopes of regaining the Scottish Premiership title.
This time last season, Davis returned as the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year and yet, looked a shadow of the player that had been so important in winning the league, a change in formation, manager and two injuries saw him look destined for the exit until Giovanni van Bronckhorst brought him back in for key fixtures towards the end of the season.
In his first start of the campaign against Kilmarnock, as detailed in The Athletic, the Northern Ireland legend was back to his sharpest best and was pivotal in us scoring the key second goal to kill off the game. His passing range allowing us to break down a Derek McInnes side that had spent a week preparing to sit on the edge of their box.
Gio has favoured Glen Kamara or Ryan Jack alongside John Lundstram for big games in the past but, for all that he won’t be able to do it every game, Davis has shown that he should start again against Union Saint-Gilloise who will be doing everything they can to protect their two goal lead.
There is, very much, life in the old dog yet.