Nicholl baulks at any suggestion that Steven Davis has become a problem
Jimmy Nicholl argues any Rangers supporters giving Steven Davis a hard time just now would do well to start watching more football.
Specifically, the Northern Ireland side he himself helps manage, and which the midfielder has represented a British record 126 times.
The former Rangers caretaker boss spoke following the Light Blues’ 2-0 home defeat to Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Davis was substituted an hour into the game, shortly after the concession of the second goal, and by common consensus, had his poorest game for the club in a while.
But Nicholl, who also starred for Rangers as a player during two spells in the 1980s, said: “I think some people read too much into that change.
“The midfield wasn’t quite firing as it maybe should have been, which has been the case for most of the season, really.
“If they have looked at that, though, and decided Steven is the problem because he needs a rest or because he is getting on now at 36 years old, then I think they are wrong.
“True, he maybe did not have his best game in the shirt.
“He was caught a couple of times on the turn, but that can happen in a game.
“Once in a while you have to give the opposition credit. Lyon were not a bad side at all, and I can see them doing very well in this group.
“But there is nothing wrong with Steven’s fitness. Anyone who watched him play for Northern Ireland at the start of the month can testify to that.
“In the game against Lithuania, he got us a penalty with his run beyond the defence into their penalty box – and that was into the last 10 minutes of the game.
“He is a super-fit guy, who gets through the 90 minutes no bother.”
Nicholl, assistant to Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough, himself played until he was 40, so he knows what is possible.
“There comes a point when a player knows he is over the hill,” he continued. “When you can no longer run any more, it is time to go because otherwise you become an embarrassment. You cannot be allowing that to happen. “But that is not the case with Steven Davis – no chance.”
Instead, Nicholl argues the problem is one of balance.
“Listen, Rangers have been doing well,” he said. “They have got through to the Europa League group stages, and beaten Celtic in the Premiership. “What I am saying is that the midfield has not been quite what it was last season. “They were unbelievable last year. “I used to think that, on paper, the combination of Steven, Glen Kamara and Ryan Jack should not really work because they were all a bit too similar.
“In practice, though, the balance was perfect. They worked so well together, interchanging roles throughout the game.
“All three would take a run at doing the ugly stuff, and all three would get right up there to threaten the opposition goal. This year, with Ryan out with a long-term injury, things have been a little bit off kilter.
“If you take the Lyon game, for example, I thought Joe Aribo did not have the best game, and that Glen was quiet.
“But as I said, there are a lot of teams that would be thrilled with the start to the season Rangers have made.
“I just believe they can get better. Last season’s form shows us that is the case.”
Rangers take on Motherwell in their flag day at Ibrox this afternoon, and Nicholl believes Steven Gerrard could well shuffle things around, possibly beyond having to cope with the injured Ryan Kent.
“Sometimes as a manager, you just have to keep tweaking things until they work out the way you want them to,” said Nicholl.
“Steven has a big squad, and a good few different options open to him all over the pitch.
“Against Lyon, he brought Scott Wright on to offer a different sort of energy and, of course, John Lundstram is now in the mix, too.
“Things don’t always go exactly the way you want them to. But it is a measure of a good team, and a good group, to be able to fight their way through them.
“Lyon was just the start of this group. There is plenty of time to turn things around.”