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Player Watch Player Watch: Ben Davies

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,391
I think having Sanchez pace at the back will give Davies a bit more confidence going forward as well. Rose has his work cut out to get back in the team when he's fit.
 

THFC_SWE

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
1,233
3,914
I think he has been our best player so far this season. If he keep playing like this, Rose will not get back in to the starting eleven.

He has improved in so many different areas. His passing is better, he reads the game better, he seems to be quicker and his crossing has improved. Sometimes he does a normal cross and sometimes he cut it back.

I know that we have only played four games and that this stat will probably drop, but so far Davies has 3.3 key passes/game, as a left back (ranked 3rd in the league). That's insane.
 

thePessimist

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2012
1,261
3,344
Noticed him getting more shots from inside the box this year. Great to see him pushing forward and getting assists and chances. Very solid player
 

Vincent30

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
900
3,694
He's like the polar opposite to Kyle Walker when he gets into a crossing position, low and behold, he gets into a position and crosses the bloody ball in, rather than stop, go back, beat the player again then pass it backwards.

What i really like about Davies is that he doesn't really massively excel at anything, but he really gets the basics right. The more balls you put into the area, the more chance of scoring. Really pleased with his consistency levels these days and a great squad player to have he is versatile. Fair play to Poch with his development, much improved player over the last few years.
 

ohtottenham!

Well-Known Member
Aug 15, 2013
7,497
13,029
Things I saw yesterday, was Davies looking far more attacking, far more movement and link-up play with the intent to attack as opposed to just laying the ball back. He'd get wide and seemed far more focused on whipping the ball into threatening areas. If he couldn't do that, he was more aggressive in driving infield into open spaces and quickly distribute to push attacks in other areas. Poch's definitely been working with him in making him more of an attacking threat, and it's bearing fruit.

Things that helped him were the way Everton set up so narrow and gave us so much space, and the fact that Sanchez at the back meant we had pace and cover with Sanchez and Verts to cover down the left defensive flank.
 

King of Otters

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2012
10,751
36,093
He was excellent against Everton, who just happen to be one of the slowest teams in the league, but I still think he's very vulnerable against pace. I wouldn't be confident at all with him at left back against rapid attacks like City or Liverpool.
 

am_yisrael_chai

Well-Known Member
Feb 18, 2006
6,409
10,931
I think he has been our best player so far this season. If he keep playing like this, Rose will not get back in to the starting eleven.

He has improved in so many different areas. His passing is better, he reads the game better, he seems to be quicker and his crossing has improved. Sometimes he does a normal cross and sometimes he cut it back.

I know that we have only played four games and that this stat will probably drop, but so far Davies has 3.3 key passes/game, as a left back (ranked 3rd in the league). That's insane.
I agree he is playing better and making more of a contribution offensively but anyone suggesting that a fully fit Rose shouldn't be in the team ahead of him is having amnesia as to just how good Rose was last season before his injury and how much of an impact he has in our offensive pattern.

In any event with the importance of WBs in our system we need to rotate, so the closer in performance our 2 WBs on each side are the better for overall team performance.
 

ohtottenham!

Well-Known Member
Aug 15, 2013
7,497
13,029
He was excellent against Everton, who just happen to be one of the slowest teams in the league, but I still think he's very vulnerable against pace. I wouldn't be confident at all with him at left back against rapid attacks like City or Liverpool.
A fit Rose would always be first choice against that type of attack, but an improved Davies with more defensive cover to protect against his lack of relative pace helps us when needs must.
 

Larryjanta

Well-Known Member
Apr 22, 2014
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He was excellent against Everton, who just happen to be one of the slowest teams in the league, but I still think he's very vulnerable against pace. I wouldn't be confident at all with him at left back against rapid attacks like City or Liverpool.

I think pace is much important in a back 4 but both Jan and Sanchez offered him some cover. It also allows him to defend higher up the pitch and use the DM to help wih runs in behind him. We often assume that speed is crucial for a wing back but, IMO, stamina and positioning are far more important and he ticks those boxes well.

Second time I've brought this up but rewatch his performance yesterday to see how he created a yard for himself. So clever and effective
 

ohtottenham!

Well-Known Member
Aug 15, 2013
7,497
13,029
I think pace is much important in a back 4 but both Jan and Sanchez offered him some cover. It also allows him to defend higher up the pitch and use the DM to help wih runs in behind him. We often assume that speed is crucial for a wing back but, IMO, stamina and positioning are far more important and he ticks those boxes well.

Second time I've brought this up but rewatch his performance yesterday to see how he created a yard for himself. So clever and effective
Saw that too. He wasn't doing that last season.
 

Larryjanta

Well-Known Member
Apr 22, 2014
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Saw that too. He wasn't doing that last season.

Yeah, it was really apparent wasn't it? Just a little shift to create space but meant the fullback wasn't cutting it out and he was getting the ball in the box regularly. He definitely wasn't doing that last year, where he seemed to try and beat his man/pass it back but yesterday seemed to have developed another tool.

Poch is an absolute master but also shows Davies listens in training and can implement it.

I think we forget how young he is, I'd argue he's at least where Danny was 3 years ago (when he was Davies' age), maybe even slightly ahead of him.

He also never complains.

I'm falling a little in love
 

muppetman

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2011
8,901
24,816
In some ways the current situation with Davies is similar to that of Trippier in that when we have loads of ball he can be a really creative player. However, against the better sides where he needs to defend he still worries me - either way it's good for Rose to have genuine competition and we may yet go back to the frequent rotation that Poch seems to prefer with the full backs.
 

guy

SC Supporter
May 31, 2007
4,507
6,182
Just watched the highlights again, he also created the chances for Eriksen and Sissoko in the first half with great crosses, both probably should have scored them.
 

coy-spurs1882

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
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10,442

barry

Bring me Messi
May 22, 2005
6,505
15,345
He's class and he only gets truly exposed against blistering place, basically Mane, but most do.
 

DEFchenkOE

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2006
10,527
8,052
Thought he had an incredible game on Saturday, his delivery was relentless and accurate. Thought he was motm.
 

nicdic

Official SC Padre
Admin
May 8, 2005
41,857
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He's class and he only gets truly exposed against blistering place, basically Mane, but most do.
Worth noting as well that in that game, he was horrendously exposed by Son in front of him. I think he'd do a much better job against Liverpool now.
 
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