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2018/19 Tom Davies

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I don't think we should underestimate what an effect the mess of last season had on some players. Even the senior ones. Last season was a disaster really. Koeman and Unsworth were both a mess. Allardyce steadied things but his idea of how to play football was completely different from the other 2 and gave absolutely no structure to what the midfield and attack would do in possession. All our players looked awful last season compared to the previous one and some of them are showing signs of improving now (Keane, Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin). Davies has too (the Southampton game) although he's not as experienced as some of the others so it's more difficult for him. Most 20 year-old kids (except the wonder kid types) need a settled set up to come into and play here and there. Davies hasn't had that luxury and has suffered for it.
 

Baines' left foot said:
I joke on here and call him awful etc. but to me it’s pretty simple that he was thrown in the deep end due to no other options, he overachieved and now that has gone against him as fans expect him to be consistently performing to a high level. At the age of 20.

People say players don’t read the forums etc. It’s 2018 ffs, of course some of them will do from time. It’s not exactly hard to use a smartphone. I appreciate there is some irony there as mentioned above. Football forums and social media are such a huge part of people’s lives now that online discussions are bound to continue in the real world. I also think that there’s an element of jealousy to the hatred. He posts a photo of himself wearing perhaps unusual clothing and the North Face/Berghaus clad army go mad calling him every name under the sun

I would honestly be looking to leave if I was Tom. The pressure he is coming under is too much.
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You’d look to leave the club you support, where you’re playing regularly at a young age and getting paid lots of money because people in a football forum think you’re a bit naff? Surely not.
 
Lanolin said:
Theoretically yes, but in practice they're competing for the same role, as evidenced by Saturday.
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As it stands, until Gomes is fit, yes.

But once Gomes is fit I'd say it's going to be Schneiderlin competing with him and Gana competing with Davies.

But, they should all be able to slot in if needed. However, it goes back to the types of player they are and Davies simply isn't a player who you is suited to dropping back and picking up possession like Schneiderlin is. That isn't a detraction, because Davies is better at other things.
 
Lots of lads in midfield have been turfed out before this lad. Koeman Unsworth Allardyce and now Silva have all turned to him and made him a key member of the squad. Meanwhile Cleverley Besic Barry Vlasic Klaasen Rooney have all been moved on or not received much game time.

For me his pace is a slight limitation but in the right system he has an awareness of the attacking side of the game that Gueye or Schneiderlin don’t possess. We’ve seen flashes of it, his ball to Niasse in the league cup v Sunderland, his performances at the end of Koeman’s first season, even in preseason some of the give and go stuff was at an attacking level above anything Gueye or Schneiderlin or McCarthy or Baningime possess.

If we can go out and bring in a better creative midfielder then great, but I see no downside in him being an important squad member. You have to ask yourself why Davies keeps getting trusted by managers (two of which had a reputation for not trusting youth) ahead of all the players listed above and even why Silva doesn’t turn to the likes of Siggurdson to play deeper but instead trusts Davies.
 


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