Steven Davis

Sorry disagree about Kelvin. Look at Yoshida. he was asleep for the 2nd and the first came off an arm and wrong footed him.

Think Forster would of stopped them both and think Kelvin should of stopped at least the second.

He's not a DM he plays as the most advance midfielder and is the 1 behind pelle in our 4-2-1-3 formation. I haven't got a problem with his football it's just his lack of scoring and assists I have for someone who plays in that position

Easy hat trick spurned. Been poor for a while now. Mind you prowse wasnt much better. Teally should've won that today

We have problems to find a player who can switch to the tip of the diamond when we attack. Neither Ward Prowse not Davis can cut it - woeful shooting

Positive support rather than unpleasant criticism is likely to help him find his shooting touch.

Do you really think RK would play him if he didn't rate hin and do the job he's asked to.

He knows it as well, if not better, than we do - and I`m sure he will work even harder at his game which, shooting aside, has been excellent all season.

He knows it as well, if not better, than we do - and I`m sure he will work even harder at his game which, shooting aside, has been excellent all season.

This. I understand the criticism of his shooting etc, but those knee-jerkers who say that he has been poor for months, or even all season (seen one yesterday who said that) dont understand what they are watching

I was sat behind the dug out yesterday and he was really ****ed off with himself when he came off. He knows he should have scored.

Steve Davis is an attacking midfielder and should be contributing at leads 8 to 10 goals a season for the team.

I think part of the reason we're talking about Steven Davis isn't so much his performances or the fact that shooting or creating chances is one of his weaknesses (as if this was somehow news), but the fact that he's 'so underrated that he's become overrated'.

Davis is a likable player. People notice his work-rate, he's obviously British and comes across as humble and industrious. He plays a role which we all accept is largely unglamourous and he appeals to the average Sunday League-playing beer-drinking fan, regardless of how 'effective' he actually might be.

The reality is that fans opinions of a game can be very easily shaped and swayed by people around them. Its no unique phenomenon, its standard groupthink.

Case in point: one particularly mouthy guy who sits near me clearly has a personal dislike of Mané, who he spent the entire game hollering abuse and criticism towards (as he does all the damn time). There was one point where we hit a long ball up to Pelle which neither he, nor the defender managed to flick on, yet this guy behind me shouted abuse at Mané for not 'getting near him'. Says it all really; he was literally criticising Mané for not getting on the end of a non-existent flick-on.

Anyway, you take my point.

So yesterday, everyone around us is grumbling and whining bout Mané's lack of work rate and so on and saying that we should take him off at half-time. I come back to look at the forum and everyone says that he's the MOTM. There you have it. (Incidentally, this should largely put paid to the idea that being at the game is hugely vital to having an objective opinion of how a match went, and I've been a STH for getting on for 7-8 years so rest assured I'm no armchair fan).

Anyway, the Steven Davis criticism is partly down to recent poor performances, but also largely down to exaggerated praise that he received at the start of the season.

Is Steven Davis a useful player? Sure.

Is he the kind of player that lets be honest, is never, ever anywhere near the ability of a team that finishes in a Champions League spot and that we would realistically need to improve upon were we to try and reach that level? 'fraid so.

Long story short? He was never that good then, and he isn't that bad now.

He is what he is. But he also failed to take that chance up at Liverpool.

Good player, clearly suffering from a lack of confidence in front of goal this season though.

This. I understand the criticism of his shooting etc, but those knee-jerkers who say that he has been poor for months, or even all season (seen one yesterday who said that) dont understand what they are watching

I'm one of his biggest fans, but he HAS been poor for months. Giving the ball away in dangerous areas on a number of occasions and generally just not being involved enough in an attacking sense.

The earliest example I can think of is City at home when he gave the ball away then didn't track back at all, and City scored. Before that his performances were as normal but from then on I remember seeing him give the ball away time after time.

Steven Davis for me, is a player that we miss when he's not playing but many around me can't seem to work out what he's good for when he is playing. Sure, he should be scoring more but he isn't half as bad as many fans make out and in my opinion, a useful asset in the squad. At least he finds himself in positions of chances, disrupts play, and clears the odd goal off the line.

I'm a big fan but he hasn't been as effective this year as under Poch, and has noticeably been poorer the last 2 months. This could be due to playing less possession football, or that we have had to use him as a defmid much more due to injuries which may have disrupted his rhythm. What I would say about yesterday is that at least he was getting into scoring positions, it would be more worrying if an attmid never has any chances and I really can't remember SD having many chances this year - that is a worry. Still think we are going to regret losing Cork - he's doing very nicely and a regular with a team not that many points behind us.

I'm a big fan but he hasn't been as effective this year as under Poch

Indeed, say what you like about Poch, Lallana etc. but you have to give credit where its due to last season's front three, who were pretty much able to shoulder the entire goalscoring responsibility between them without us really needing all that much more from midfield.

Scoring wasn't anywhere near as much of a pressing issue then as it has been this season, and that was with the midfield contributing even less goals then than they have been now (Morgan and Davis got two each, whilst neither Cork nor Wanyama got off the mark; as opposed to Wanyama/Schneiderlin chipping in with eight goals between them in this season).

I'm one of his biggest fans, but he HAS been poor for months. Giving the ball away in dangerous areas on a number of occasions and generally just not being involved enough in an attacking sense.

The earliest example I can think of is City at home when he gave the ball away then didn't track back at all, and City scored. Before that his performances were as normal but from then on I remember seeing him give the ball away time after time.

Think he has been carrying an injury for a long time........

I like his work rate but the simple fact is a number 10 playing behind the forward needs to be creative and chip in with a few goals. He contributes neither of these. Its what our side is lacking really. A creative number 10 with the capability of putting it in the top bin from 25 yards. Would give our opposition something different to worry about. At the moment our attacking play is a bit too one dimensional. Get within shooting distance, then play it wide. It would be nice to have a number 10 not afraid of hitting it if the opportunity presents itself. Part of me still thinks Gaston might be in RK's plans when he returns next season.

The earliest example I can think of is City at home when he gave the ball away then didn't track back at all, and City scored. Before that his performances were as normal but from then on I remember seeing him give the ball away time after time.

If you watch that back, he's clearly limping as he tries to get back, he was ****ed.

If you watch that back, he's clearly limping as he tries to get back, he was ****ed.

City at home was one of the worst games for half the team too

I think part of the reason we're talking about Steven Davis isn't so much his performances or the fact that shooting or creating chances is one of his weaknesses (as if this was somehow news), but the fact that he's 'so underrated that he's become overrated'.

 

Davis is a likable player. People notice his work-rate, he's obviously British and comes across as humble and industrious. He plays a role which we all accept is largely unglamourous and he appeals to the average Sunday League-playing beer-drinking fan, regardless of how 'effective' he actually might be.

 

Talking up how integral Davis is to our play occasionally feels like an attempt by some fans to flatter their own understanding of the game (not every player who pops five yard passes in the centre of the pitch is Xavi), but I'd agree with this. I've never said he's useless, just that the limit of his use in a team with any ambition should be playing from the bench, where his industry and risk-aversion can be valuable commodities depending on the scoreline.

Davis has been good for the team but he's in a position where we could improve. Id like to see the club recruit a new attacking midfielder with a goal scoring record. Whether Davis should stay as cover and competition, would for me depend on his resale value.

Another vintage performance. Weak in the tackle and only capable of the most unthreatening passes.

He's been shocking for a long time now.

Pelle through but goes for the backheel. WTF.

He has been a total mess for a good while now, has always been one of my fav's.

Another vintage performance. Weak in the tackle and only capable of the most unthreatening passes.

You are the most disgusting troll this forum has ever met.

How do you even dare talk about agendas. You're clearly here just to vom rubbish about Davis.

You are the most disgusting troll this forum has ever met.

 

How do you even dare talk about agendas. You're clearly here just to vom rubbish about Davis.

I'm beginning to wonder if this is some elaborate piece of performance art you're doing; it's the only explanation for the weird combination of paranoid accusation & illiterate defence of a player everyone else can see fading before their eyes.

Davis has been ineffective most of the season, and absolute cack since the new year. I'm sure some will quibble over the first assertion, but it's becoming difficult to find anyone (aside from you, in the throes of your art) who'll disagree with the latter.

He is absolutely spot on. Davis is giving us nothing and too often he is the closest player to the threat when a goal goes in. Eg Spurs, he failed twice to close down Dier before both goals despite being close enough to block him off easily. He often stops our attacks by passing sideways or backwards just to keep the ball or fails to release the ball early to an unmarked attacker.

I will say when we went down to ten men last week he played in the way he should play every week. No goals and no forward threat isn't good enough for one of the three attackers behind Pelle. His goal attempts in the last home game were a joke.

I recognize he's had a poor run of months, but what about the rest of team. What has Pelle offered since January? Tadic? Clyne? Bertrand?

Very easy to blame Davis, but the fact is that 8 out of 11 regular starters have had a poor second half of the season, starting earlier or more recently!

Furthermore, he has had to take on new roles in midfield this season that he is neither good at nor has he ever played in! Last season he wasn't our number 10, yet this season Koeman seems to want him to be that and also be that midfielder that tracks back, covers for the full-backs, and starts play from the back. It's not possible.

People don't also mention that very often he does make runs forward, only to find himself with a static Pelle and wingers behind him or marked. Of course he'll get more of these balls wrong, he has to gamble more often on whether they will reach them!

I recognize he's had a poor run of months, but what about the rest of team. What has Pelle offered since January? Tadic? Clyne? Bertrand?

 

Very easy to blame Davis, but the fact is that 8 out of 11 regular starters have had a poor second half of the season, starting earlier or more recently!

I suggest you read my post match comment. Clyne, Pelle and Davis criticised. Koeman needs to be more innovative, it's all very well having a 4231 preference but it isn't working. Maybe Long and Mane up front together. Mane is a waste of space wide and on his arse. Tadic played for a long time with a chronic groin problem. It was only his willpower that kept him playing. most of the rest wouldn't have kept going. We should have stopped him from playing as we have now done and sorted the problem.

Davis needs to be a squad player next season and replaced with a true number 10. We don't have a single midfielder who can thread a pass.

I recognize he's had a poor run of months, but what about the rest of team. What has Pelle offered since January? Tadic? Clyne? Bertrand?

 

Very easy to blame Davis, but the fact is that 8 out of 11 regular starters have had a poor second half of the season, starting earlier or more recently!

Furthermore, he has had to take on new roles in midfield this season that he is neither good at nor has he ever played in! Last season he wasn't our number 10, yet this season Koeman seems to want him to be that and also be that midfielder that tracks back, covers for the full-backs, and starts play from the back. It's not possible.

People don't also mention that very often he does make runs forward, only to find himself with a static Pelle and wingers behind him or marked. Of course he'll get more of these balls wrong, he has to gamble more often on whether they will reach them!

You've got the wrong end of the stick I'm afraid. I'm not 'blaming' Davis for anything (well, apart from a handful of specific balls-ups he's made of late, most notably the three misses against Spurs & several defensive lapses). The reason I single him out instead of anyone else is, in many many years of reading this forum, I've never seen such a limited player receive such ludicrously undeserved praise. He's deeply, deeply average in all phases of play, yet for the last year all I've heard is how 'essential' he is to the team. As another poster said earlier, can you really imagine Davis being the keystone player for a genuine top six side?

He's a decent squad player, but the only thing Davis has ever been instrumental to is our attacking mediocrity over the past two seasons.

I suggest you read my post match comment. Clyne, Pelle and Davis criticised. Koeman needs to be more innovative, it's all very well having a 4231 preference but it isn't working. Maybe Long and Mane up front together. Mane is a waste of space wide and on his arse. Tadic played for a long time with a chronic groin problem. It was only his willpower that kept him playing. most of the rest wouldn't have kept going. We should have stopped him from playing as we have now done and sorted the problem.

This is exactly what I was saying as I was watching the game yesterday.

I was hoping if Long came on it would be for Pelle, as Mane's pace was the only thing close to being a threat against their defence. I usually appreciate what Pelle does but yesterday he was non existent. We need a different approach with the players that we have, especially when the current system is not creating any goals at all.

When end you think back to last season and having Lambert, Lallana and JRod playing all over the front - switching positions, instinctive passing and understanding with each other - it makes you realise what a brick wall we've currently run into.

Talking up how integral Davis is to our play occasionally feels like an attempt by some fans to flatter their own understanding of the game (not every player who pops five yard passes in the centre of the pitch is Xavi)

This.

You've got the wrong end of the stick I'm afraid. I'm not 'blaming' Davis for anything (well, apart from a handful of specific balls-ups he's made of late, most notably the three misses against Spurs & several defensive lapses). The reason I single him out instead of anyone else is, in many many years of reading this forum, I've never seen such a limited player receive such ludicrously undeserved praise.

Spot on.

Davis is excellent at what he does, but he does need the right players around him, he's a link player, a good 3rd CM to have when you're on the back foot. I don't think the players around him at the moment are technical enough, Long, Mane, Pelle aren't particularly great technically, but they're all good in their own way.

He's a tidy player and we do miss him when he doesn't play, but he's never going to get many goals cos he can't finish his dinner.

Davis is excellent at what he does, but he does need the right players around him, he's a link player, a good 3rd CM to have when you're on the back foot. I don't think the players around him at the moment are technical enough, Long, Mane, Pelle aren't particularly great technically, but they're all good in their own way.

 

He's a tidy player and we do miss him when he doesn't play, but he's never going to get many goals cos he can't finish his dinner.

Agree with this. Davis has been poor of late, no question. However, he has never been a particularly creative player. When you have Mane and Tadic firing and creating chances, then you 'miss' Davis' industry and box-to-box play, but as soon as the team look for him to play as a 'number 10', he comes up short.

I was bang on two years ago, and nothing he's done between then and now has proven me wrong. Utterly, utterly dire today in every single phase of play.

He has always been sh*te in defensive midfield, from day one. Much better further forward. Todays performance was no surprise to those of us who are objective.

And we have the " forum essential" scapegoating.......... Pathetic

He has always been sh*te in defensive midfield, from day one. Much better further forward. Todays performance was no surprise to those of us who are objective.

That's the problem - he isn't suited to the DM role, but has been forced to assume it with the positioning of JWP wide right. Looks much better (Davis) when he's allowed to play an attacking role which he did 2nd half. The side's midfield has been unbalanced by trying to fit JWP into the team, wide right - Romeu is being forced to mop up everything - which he did alone in the 2nd half - massive performance by OR - but our midfield at present has problems which an in-form Hojbjerg could help solve.

Thought he was good in 2nd half today barring the bizarre backpass with a minute to go. First half he was poor but then he wasn't the only one.

His final ball every time was absolutely hopeless.

Thought he was good in 2nd half today barring the bizarre backpass with a minute to go. First half he was poor but then he wasn't the only one.

Don't be silly....a couple of people think that he was crap so we all have....you just don't get it do you?

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And we have the " forum essential" scapegoating.......... Pathetic

Oh ********.

You want a scapegoat its a player who purchased about 2 years later for £34Mn and is now considered one of the best players in the league being called 'Ali Dia' by the mongs in our fanbase. Or Guly being slated week-in-week-out having scored 10 or 11 goals in half a season back in the Champo. Or Ramirez being blamed for a defeat when being brought on at 3-1 down with about 5 minutes to go.

Davis is a bang average player who was utterly ****ed on today. If we want to finish higher up the league we need to improve on him.

He has always been sh*te in defensive midfield, from day one. Much better further forward. Todays performance was no surprise to those of us who are objective.

No thanks. He doesn't get goals or assists and has no final ball.

Average player.

Oh and he ducked for Zlatan's free-kick in the cup final, which for some reason no-one dare breathe a word about.

Can you imagine if that was Ramirez, Wanyama, Guly, Pelle, Boufal or Mane? phewwww.

Oh ********.

 

You want a scapegoat its a player who purchased about 2 years later for £34Mn and is now considered one of the best players in the league being called 'Ali Dia' by the mongs in our fanbase. Or Guly being slated week-in-week-out having scored 10 or 11 goals in half a season back in the Champo. Or Ramirez being blamed for a defeat when being brought on at 3-1 down with about 5 minutes to go.

 

Davis is a bang average player who was utterly ****ed on today. If we want to finish higher up the league we need to improve on him.

Wipe the froth from your mouth and calm down, funny how the managerial favourite Koeman rated him too

It's just have few idiots who can't see his worth, like you for instance...

So....we have the captain of an international team playing for us but the football "brains" on this forum think that he is ****e.....

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No thanks. He doesn't get goals or assists and has no final ball.

 

Average player.

 

Oh and he ducked for Zlatan's free-kick in the cup final, which for some reason no-one dare breathe a word about.

 

Can you imagine if that was Ramirez, Wanyama, Guly, Pelle, Boufal or Mane? phewwww.

He was pushed out of the wall by Herrera actually; but don't let that stop your blinkered bias.