“Outstanding” Davies helps Under-21s to another win

Full highlights of the game, with Davies' vital pass at 3:45 and his missed header at 4:40:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7l25t6tC9A

At 5:16 Tom is taken off the ball in his own half with what might have been a foul, handing Kosovo its best scoring chance (and a truly astounding miss).

At 6:56 he makes an exceptional pass that creates another England chance.

At 8:40 he's taken out by a really ugly foul.

Tom was imperious in that central holding role. His distribution from the back was superb.

Davies should be first back-up player to Delph and Gomes. I'd much rather see him play than Schneiderlin. Strange why Silva is so reluctant to play him.

For me, this is more of an indication that playing for the U21s against a team like Kosovo is an easier opportunity to impress vs. playing at club level in the Premier League. Tom Davies has been given more than enough chances to impress and has failed; I think to give him further chances in a more dangerous holding position is asking for problems.

I'm not Schneiderlin's biggest fan but I'd rather he be used before Davies (and after Delph/Gomes) by a long way. It's a shame in many ways, but think he still has the ability to play for a bottom-half Premier League team.

Alex #4

I can't agree with much of that. The lad is still very young and we need to give him time and patience. I think he is going to be a superb player and Everton haven't given him a 4-year contract or played him as Captain out of pity.

To say he is not going to be a top player at Everton rather than a lower league player is way off, he is just... 21. Say that at 25 if he has not made it by then.

Better to get behind the player and give him a pat on the shoulder rather than a potential kick up the backside!

What's happened to Calvert-Lewin? He wasn't involved in their last 2 matches?

Everton requested that he stayed at Finch Farm, for shooting practice!

Paul, he's 23 in March. I assume he's too old.

One thing is for sure: he's not going to improve unless he gets first team minutes. He is seemingly behind Gomes, Delph, Schneiderlin and Gbamin (when fit) for those two box-to-box holding roles.

If we had kept McCarthy or Besic, then I'd say his development would have been better served going to a bottom Premier League team or a top Championship team for a season.

He's not a kid anymore and at 21 he really needs to be getting 20-30 starts and over 2000 minutes during the course of the season. Last year he had 10 starts and less than 1000 minutes. So many English players stall their development between 19-22 and I'm worried that is what's happening (has happened) with Davies.

U21s is no benchmark for the Premier League. If they're good enough they'd be in their first teams and with the full English squad regardless of age.

Can't see him getting much game time this season.

Paul @6 he was last seen carrying a Banjo walking towards a field with cows in somewhere in Cumbria.

Before the DCL fanclub starts, I just don't see him ever being premier league/Championship striker.

It's the field with the big barn door

Alex @4 Davies hasn't been given a chance to play as a holding midfielder, how many chances has Schneiderlin got?

IF ever two players need to go on loan its DCL and Davies.

Davies to develop his game by playing the full 90 min and DCL to fine tune his shooting and movement in the box.

They need game time and minutes and a drop into the German leagues or championship could see them suddenly sharpen up nicely.

He does something MS never does. Run forwards with the ball at his feet and move our team higher up the pitch. If he makes a mistake, fine, it's high up the pitch and we can defend it in numbers.

If you think Tom Davies is a failure then I would wonder if you have ever played centre midfield. Giving the ball away comes with the territory as it's the tightest place on the pitch.

People have become obsessed with defensive centre midfielders who rarely give the ball away and win or intercept it a lot. That's lovely but they're not much use once past the halfway line and can be counter productive with lower table teams perfectly happy to sit in banks of four and let them have the ball to go sideways.

This kid has talent. I've said it until I'm Blue in the face, pun intended.

Silva starts Schneiderlin in front of him regularly, for only reasons he knows.

Were I Tom Davies, I'd "pull a Barkley" and ask for a transfer. I'd not blame the kid in the least.

If we give Tom a chance, he'll be a mainstay in midfield for years for Everton.

Does my head in, as you say.

And we all know who thinks youth is important.

Martin 5, I said bottom half Premier League team not necessarily lower leagues.

Christy 13, I am not Schniederlin's biggest fan, although I have to say he's improved in the last 9 months or so.

People have unfairly and unreasonably used him as a scapegoat in the past when in reality the whole team and manager have been at fault. On the other hand loads of people playing up his ability when the reality is he's only ever demonstrated he's average at best. Both ends of the spectrum seem odd to me.

The mind boggles - Tom Davies doesn't play well in the Premier League, he is not good enough... but when he plays well for England U21s, the level is not good enough.

It bodes very badly for the future of young English players if their captain can't get an opportunity to play at an elite level. Nobody is expecting him to be the finished article, some of us just expect that his potential far exceeds what an, albeit much improved, Schneiderlin can bring to the team.

As for what he has 'demonstrated' so far in his career - being MotM on his debut, his display against Man City to name but a couple quite clearly demonstrate that he can be beyond average.

But I guess at 21 years of age he is unlikely to ever improve so, yeah, get rid.

I just don't think he has improved from the player who came into the team. He hasn't had alot of game time but hasn't done enough to earn a shirt imo.

Face it.... he's fifth choice behind Gomes, Delph, Gbamin and Schneiderlin. He's just not going to get the games. There's a big difference between England U21 football and Premier League football. Just ask goal machine Calvert-Lewin.

Don't care if he is a local lad. If he was good enough, we would never have bought Gbamin. It's not like any of those in front of him are all that old. Delph at 29 is the oldest but he's still got at least three seasons in him. So Davies could be waiting quite a while and that's assuming we don't buy anyone else or another youngster comes through.

Many players do not make the next step up and sadly it would appear Tom is one of those. Some become brown nosers like Henderson does with Southgate and he is no better than Tom Davies.

I would like to see Tom prove us wrong but he needs a little run in the team which Silva may not give him.

Derek @24 I think the word I'd use for Seamus, is Rested!

Leave it to the ladies, Jamie!

Tom's best displays are far better than Schneiderlin's best. His worst are far better than Schneiderlin's average.

Tom, contract, money and other 'fame' games may have distracted him. But he's a good player with talent and time to improve.

I simply don't get why Schneiderlin gets game time.