Tottenham sign Ben Davies

[spurs-r-us]

Growing nicely into his role. Better signing that Moreno at least.

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

I usually judge a player after I've watched him play for the full season.

Good for you, so then after that it's all right for me to say I don't rate him. Just so I know where the boundary is. Just out of interest why is it you think it's not possible to gauge ability/talent, potential before then. why is 1 season the magic marker?

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Well imo he's done nothing to suggest he couldnt be a long-term answer at lb for us, plus being a fan I will always have faith and patience for our new signings, I won't write them off within half a season.

Mate, spare me the being a fan spiel, this is a message board. I get right behind the team when I'm at the games. I just don't psrticuarly rate him. It's not vitriolic abuse which people are happy to give out/turn a blind eye when it comes to certain players/managers over the last few years here.

 

[arunspurs]

He was totally lost on Swansea's goal though - and I mean totally! Why on earth didn't he track Routledge rather than move into the penalty box leaving Routledge with acres of space

Thats because Eriksen was nowhere to be found & a 2 vs 1 was developing. I looked at the goal in MOTD2. It was clear that Eriksen was sprinting from Right Midfield to Left Midfield when the ball came to Routledge. A quick one - two meant Davies was isolated & caught in 2 minds. There is always going to be such moments in any game. I dont think the goal was because of Davies losing Routledge. IMO, its failure of Fazio or Vertonghen to stick close to Bony.

 

[$hoguN]

I think he adds a lot defensively and despite not looking as much of an attacking threat will probably get as many assists as Rose

 

[arunspurs]

Mate, spare me the being a fan spiel, this is a message board. I get right behind the team when I'm at the games. I just don't psrticuarly rate him. It's not vitriolic abuse which people are happy to give out/turn a blind eye when it comes to certain players/managers over the last few years here.

Well I think you are factually incorrect when saying he isn't offering anything going forward or he is not doing enough defensively. Even in yesterday game, first Swansea goal came because of a potential 2 V 1 forced upon him & Eriksen went missing for the briefest moment. These things happen in football.

Whats important for me is - Does he have the basics ? I would say for a 21 year old, he has got most things right. He can maintain a good back line, be calm & composed and knows when to slide & tackle. What more you can ask of a 21 year old.

Its not by magic or sorcery that he has already played 100 professional games in 2.5 years. Defenders make mistakes. Thats the fact no one can change. Young defenders make more mistakes. And they learn from it. Tbh, in his short Spurs career, there is not one standout moment where I can say goal was conceded because of Davies not doing his job.

Davies kept Coleman & Mirallas quiet which is a feat in itself. Even against Chelsea, he was by far our best defender and for most game, kept Willian &Oscar quiet. In fact no threat came from his side.

Going forward, he may not be a marauding left back like Marcelo. But you need to understand he is currently being handicapped by absence of proper winger. Get a proper LW and give him time - you will see the difference.

 

[Dharmabum]

Thats because Eriksen was nowhere to be found & a 2 vs 1 was developing. I looked at the goal in MOTD2. It was clear that Eriksen was sprinting from Right Midfield to Left Midfield when the ball came to Routledge. A quick one - two meant Davies was isolated & caught in 2 minds. There is always going to be such moments in any game. I dont think the goal was because of Davies losing Routledge. IMO, its failure of Fazio or Vertonghen to stick close to Bony.

It was not such a quick 1-2. Davies in fact had plenty of time (for an EPL player) to think over the situation and see that Routledge had half the field for himself (which is far too much space). His lack of pace also did let him down, as he may have thought he did have a chance to catch up with WR once WR got a step ahead of him (even though should have read the situation ahead of time).
When Eriksen is given freedom to roam, it's the task of Bentaleb and Mason to cover for him in defense.
Being too close to an opponent in the penalty box isn't always wise, as - which is shown many times - the "oppenent" then can easily makes moves in several directions away from the defender(s). But yes, neither Jan nor Fazio had a good game yesterday.

 

[chrissivad]

Was eriksen given freedom to roam?

We were already over run at cm, so exspecting them to cover more are of the pitch would be a mistake.

If we had 3 at cm then one can cover

 

[thinktank]

I wouldn't swap the Hurrikane for pretty much anyone bar Aguero or Costa.

Such a talent.

I do worry about Fazio though. Seems very cumbersome.

Despite the last ditch defending I can see a team ethic being built by Poch. I thought it was noticeable against the Turks too.

Small glimmers are beginning to shine. Great to see walker back as well. Quality player. Hopefully be back to his best soon. He is the best RB in prem.

Not even close; but it is good to have that work-rate and pace on the right flank again.

 

[thinktank]

Thats because Eriksen was nowhere to be found & a 2 vs 1 was developing. I looked at the goal in MOTD2. It was clear that Eriksen was sprinting from Right Midfield to Left Midfield when the ball came to Routledge. A quick one - two meant Davies was isolated & caught in 2 minds. There is always going to be such moments in any game. I dont think the goal was because of Davies losing Routledge. IMO, its failure of Fazio or Vertonghen to stick close to Bony.

We have a winner.

 

[ClintEastwould]

Well maybe I am being a little bit myopic.

But I would still have Kyle above them at Spurs.

There are a lot of things to like about Walker and I think he's top 5 in the prem but his crossing is probably his worse attribute

 

[dagraham]

There are a lot of things to like about Walker and I think he's top 5 in the prem but his crossing is probably his worse attribute

Agreed. What's frustrating is that unlike a lot of attributes, good crossing is something which can be taught and improved with practice in thetraining ground.

If I was coach at Spurs I'd get him to watch videos of Sagna for example and just practice crossing in that danger area between keeper and back line like he does time and time again.

 

[Francis Gibbs]

still got some errors in his defensive game but on the whole is finding some positive form

 

[Dharmabum]

Was eriksen given freedom to roam?

We were already over run at cm, so exspecting them to cover more are of the pitch would be a mistake.

If we had 3 at cm then one can cover

Bentaleb and Mason were to 2 defefensive MF of the 3....and in such a setting it's in face very normal that when a player comes into another player's "territory" then some other players cover the "drifitng" players space - particularly when it comes to defense. If you had watched any game of football you'd see it happens all the time
If you watched the game yesterday you would have seen Eriken "roaming" inwards a lot. If he did not have that freedom you think Poch would just have ignored it

 

[Monkey boy]

If I was coach at Spurs I'd get him to watch videos of Sagna for example and just practice crossing in that danger area between keeper and back line like he does time and time again.

Whilst Soldado just stands there and watches it whistle by!

 

[JerryGarcia]

For a 21 year old defender I don't see what there is to complain about? The odd lapse in concentration or poor game is to be expected, didn't Utd win the league with Rafael playing quite a lot? He made his share of mistakes, same goes for Luke Shaw, Walker, a young Glen Johnson, an old Glen Johnson etc..

Also this division between Rose fans and Davies fans is a load of bollocks. We have two pretty decent young left backs who may or may not be the future of the club, support them both or bugger off and I mean that in the nicest possible way.

 

[Kendall]

Davies has so much potential. His pass to Eriksen for the goal was great, not as easy as it looked, especially in those conditions.

 

[parklane1]

The more I see of him the more convinced we have a very good player on our hands, he is still 21 and will get better the more he plays.

 

[mark87]

Davies has so much potential. His pass to Eriksen for the goal was great, not as easy as it looked, especially in those conditions.

It couldn't have been more accurate, it was a great pass especially as he had gylfi closing him down behind him.