Player Watch Player Watch: Ben Davies

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

His defending for the Saka goal was a joke.

Firstly with his recovery run he drifted more centrally before then retreating instead of dropping off to the left back position. Got sucked in towards the ball rather than just tracking Saka.

Then when Saka got the ball, he incredibly decided to show inside on to his left foot. Horrendous defending.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

His defending for the Saka goal was a joke.

Firstly with his recovery run he drifted more centrally before then retreating instead of dropping off to the left back position. Got sucked in towards the ball rather than just tracking Saka.

Then when Saka got the ball, he incredibly decided to show inside on to his left foot. Horrendous defending.

Totally agree, it was very very poor but honestly to be expected from Ben, he's a top pro and a great bloke but he is a mid table at best premier league full back in a defensive mid to low block side, he's been a good servant for us but he is miles off what we need as a back-up or a starter.

If we want to win things and be right up there we need to be ruthless and Ben simply isn't good enough. 1 yr left on his deal, move him on and sign a better LB who can compete with or who is better than Udogie so Udogie can learn from that player.

Udogie has done incredibly well for his first season in the Prem at such a young age but even he isn't quite where we need him to be yet and Davies as back-up most certainly isn't.

As you say, his positioning was really bad and then showing Saka inside was also basic and poor, fine margins at the top level.

Also none of this keep him as 4th CB rubbish, no, promote one of the younger players or sign a more appropriate fit for 4th CB. Would Davies as a 4th CB get near City or Arsenal or Liverpool's squads? No.

He's not good enough and never has been and sorry but anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves.

Love Ben as a bloke and as a pro but time to move on, same with PEH, same with Skipp, the last of the Conte/Jose plodders be gone with you.

 

[cliff jones]

Great servant and pretty sure he'll go in the summer. Harsh leaving him exposed against saka like that

He still should have used his brain instead of falling for the feint

But why as you say was he effectively isolated as last man?

After the Neto and Townsend breaks, Ange left Udog back to prevent a repeat. Why did he not assign someone quicker to the task?

Or just leave VDV back?

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

Would of legitimately been a harder chance for Saka if he just wasn’t there, just stopped at the halfway line, at least Vic could come and narrow the angle. Actually helped him score that goal. Scared defending. I’d be surprised if he starts Thursday

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

He still should have used his brain instead of falling for the feint

But why as you say was he effectively isolated as last man?

After the Neto and Townsend breaks, Ange left Udog back to prevent a repeat. Why did he not assign someone quicker to the task?

Or just leave VDV back?

If Davies had tracked Saka’s run properly he would have been able to prevent the chance completely.

Instead he floated centrally and delayed his run towards Saka, as if he wasn’t expecting the pass which every fan in the stadium could see was going to be played.

The space looked worse because of Davies poor defending.

 

[GioW]

Out for the season aswell

 

[Japhet]

He still should have used his brain instead of falling for the feint

But why as you say was he effectively isolated as last man?

After the Neto and Townsend breaks, Ange left Udog back to prevent a repeat. Why did he not assign someone quicker to the task?

Or just leave VDV back?

It's going to happen repeatedly (and has) with the way we play. Yes, we need a better option at LB but the glaring problem for me is how weakly we cough up possession when we should be turning it into chances. Sonny has been dreadful in this respect. You don't see Man City turning the ball over time after time when they're around the oppo's 18 yd box.

 

[cjbyid]

Wonder if he'll ever play for us again.

May be time for him to move on in the summer.

 

[Russ1201]

We really are jinxed fs no other team has this many injuries!

 

[whitechina]

I wish him well in his recovery. Get back to full fitness as quickly as possible and look forwards to next season. If it's with us as a squad player great- if he/ the club feel it's best to move on, then go with my best wishes at least.

 

[yido_number1]

He still should have used his brain instead of falling for the feint

But why as you say was he effectively isolated as last man?

After the Neto and Townsend breaks, Ange left Udog back to prevent a repeat. Why did he not assign someone quicker to the task?

Or just leave VDV back?

Ultimately the DM should have been in there stopping them breaking so quick and leaving us so exposed. Poor positioning, lack of mobility and no screening offered at all.

He was slow to close the pass and then slow jogged back watching him run at Davies.

 

[spursville]

We really are jinxed fs no other team has this many injuries!

 

[yido_number1]

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I think a fairer reflecting would be how many key players were out at once. When we lost vdv, Romero and udogie to injury and suspension along with Maddison in the same game.

We've also had soloman and sessegnon out all season.

 

[TOLBINY]

Great servant, model professional and seems like a thoroughly nice bloke, but is symptomatic of our club and it's lack of silverware because he is, at best, slightly above average in terms of quality, yet we have persevered with him and even now fans are saying we should keep him as CB cover next season. No we should not - this is a rebuild - and if the aim of the rebuild is to improve and we cannot afford to replace him then promote youth (Dorrington / Phillips) and give them some experience so we know whether they are up to it or not, and if they are not, replace them and keep on replacing until we have a squad that is second to none.

 

[TOLBINY]

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Yeh but facts don't count on SC - only opinion does!

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

I’d like to move him on.

He’s not fast enough or good enough for how Ange wants to play.

Frankly he’s never been good enough for what we need if we are serious but as a squad player for a top 6-8 side he’s been fine but we want to be much more than that now, no room for sentiment.

Thank you Ben but goodbye.

He's been a major part of every season we've finished above 6th.

 

[easley91]

I’d like to move him on.

He’s not fast enough or good enough for how Ange wants to play.

Frankly he’s never been good enough for what we need if we are serious but as a squad player for a top 6-8 side he’s been fine but we want to be much more than that now, no room for sentiment.

Thank you Ben but goodbye.

Never been good enough?

Yes he isn't a worldie, but every squad, even title winning ones, have a solid pro like Ben. He has been with us since Poch and was a part of our title challenges, cup runs, UCL run, finishing 4th. He was poor v Saka on that moment, but over the course of his many years here he has been more than fine.

I agree at his age and with his play style he doesn't suit what we want to be under Ange, but let's not dismiss the good he has done with us and the good he continues to do for Wales.

 

[TOLBINY]

He's been a major part of every season we've finished above 6th.

I guess that depends on your definition of "major" so here are the facts (Prem only top 6 finishes) to help people form their opinion;

14/15 9 starts + 5 subs
15/16 14 starts + 3 subs
16/17 18 starts + 5 subs
17/18 26 starts + 3 subs
18/19 20 starts + 7 subs
19/20 16 starts + 2 subs
21/22 28 starts + 1 sub

7 seasons - started less than half the games in 4 out of 7 and played less than half in 3 of them.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Never been good enough?

Yes he isn't a worldie, but every squad, even title winning ones, have a solid pro like Ben. He has been with us since Poch and was a part of our title challenges, cup runs, UCL run, finishing 4th. He was poor v Saka on that moment, but over the course of his many years here he has been more than fine.

I agree at his age and with his play style he doesn't suit what we want to be under Ange, but let's not dismiss the good he has done with us and the good he continues to do for Wales.

I meant he’s never been good enough in terms of to be a quality 1st team starter and/or for a team/squad wanting to win

He started under Poch when Rose was injured and off form and did ‘ok’ but he was no where near peak Danny Rose level.

Yes good pro and good squad player but for how we want to play now he doesn’t suit it and I stay by what I say in terms of him having ‘never been good enough’ we would he get in City or Arsenal or Liverpools squads as a back-up LB for them in recent years, honestly I don’t think he would.

Squads are different these days, quality is much deeper due to the money in the game.
Fergie used to have a Phil Jones or Tom Cleverley etc these types of squad pro players but Chelsea & City changed the game in terms of squad depth and quality and so yea for me Ben has ‘never been good enough’ based on if we want to have a robust squad to win big things.

Love him as a person and a pro tho and wish him the best.

 

[Russ1201]

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Ok stand corrected. Maybe it seems worse as we dn't have the depth in quality squad wise.