STEVEN Davis insists Rangers do not need time to adjust to Barry Ferguson's return despite the captain's first start of the season ending in a goalless stalemate at Motherwell.
The skipper made his first start of the campaign at Fir Park on Wednesday after recovering from ankle surgery in the summer. A serious knee injury to Kevin Thomson – who is out for the remainder of the season – paved the way for 90 minutes of footbal
l for Ferguson.
But it was far from the ideal comeback as Rangers slipped four points behind Celtic in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Thomson, Davis and Pedro Mendes had transformed the midfield in Ferguson's absence, but Davis does not necessarily feel that the captain's return means a period of adjustment is now needed.
"I don't think so," said the Northern Ireland international. "Barry is a quality player and it's more to do with the fact that Motherwell is a difficult place to go rather than Barry trying to settle back into the team.
"He's a top-quality player and he can drive the team forward once he's fully fit again."
Thomson suffered damage to his knee during an accidental clash with David Fernandez at Kilmarnock on Sunday and faces eight months on the sidelines.
Davis added: "It's a big blow to lose Kevin. He has been outstanding for us this season. It's a major disappointment to lose him because he brings a lot to the team, which sometimes the fans don't always see. He is a quality player, but it's good to have Barry coming back to full fitness to drive the team on as well."
Rangers squandered several decent opportunities to claim the points at Motherwell but Davis backed the strike partnership of Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd to be back to their lethal best with the visit of St Mirren tomorrow.
"We had a good number of clear-cut chances and, on another night, we might have put those away," he said.
"It's always going to happen throughout the season that you will miss chances, but Boydy and Kenny are going to put more away than they miss – you can't fault them for that.
"The one positive we can take is that we still created chances although we are disappointed not to get the win."
Boyd did have the ball in the net, but only after the offside flag was already raised after Davis had sent the striker clear on goal.
"I played the ball through to Boydy and he has taken a touch and put it away," said Davis.
"It's a decision which has gone against us and sometimes it's hard to take because it's two valuable points that we have lost. But, overall, we had enough chances to go on and win the game."
The full article contains 469 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
