Seasons2020-21Everton News
Davies lays on two goals in England U21s rout
Davies played just over an hour of England U21s' Euro 2021 Qualifier against Kosovo and assisted two Eddie Nketiah goals in a 6-0 win.
Meanwhile, Kean and Besic came off the bench for their respective countries' senior sides in a Uefa Nations League match as Italy came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 in Florence.
Reader Comments (35)
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2 Posted 05/09/2020 at 07:09:42
He's so young still and could well have something to offer. I'd be tempted to loan him to a Championship team where he'd hopefully have 30+starts in a regular position at a slightly lower level to really grow his confidence and hone his craft.
It would be good for his development and also give the club a better idea of what he's capable of. Though, as always, getting the right club and manager would be crucial.
3 Posted 05/09/2020 at 07:16:50
I have to agree. Courageous indeed. Courage in the face of being booed by thousands of your own ‘supporters'.
This is a kid still learning the game. A central midfield player who because of the deficiencies of those around him is somehow expected to do it all. He'll benefit massively from having better players around him.
He may not be a starter but I do expect him to feature as one of the first considerations in rotation. I think we will see a much improved Davies in terms of output.
We won't see an improvement in attitude or guts because he's always shown that to a high level.
4 Posted 05/09/2020 at 07:21:01
5 Posted 05/09/2020 at 07:23:29
6 Posted 05/09/2020 at 08:42:05
Plus, I do think he has a role to play over the length of the season of 38 games, plus hopefully another 6-8 games in the Cups.
7 Posted 05/09/2020 at 08:53:11
Id give Tom until December to see if he can adapt to the Ancellotti Revolution. After that, he can either stay, be loaned out or sold. Its really up to him to show his worth.
8 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:04:26
Mainly I think footballers between the ages of 18-22 benefit from minutes on the pitch, especially in a regular position and system. 30 matches in a team where he can be the main man would help him a lot in my opinion.
9 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:10:35
Like others, I can never fathom out why many supporters are willing to jump on Davies yet show infinite patience to others on 4+ times the pay who disappear nearly every match. Is it a case of out of sight out of mind?
10 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:11:55
I've always liked his effort and determination, but for me unless Carlos coaching team can work on him I just don't see him as top 6 quality.
11 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:11:58
Italy has some very interesting mostly young midfielders and playmakers – Insigne, Chiesa, Sensi, Barella, Tonali, Barella, Pellegrini and Zaniolo who all have goals in them – but few strikers.
Kean is seen as having attributes which are different to the others, given his physique and speed. When he came on last night he played as a winger in front of Florenzi as Bosnia had basically a back 6 and Mancini wanted to get around them, rather than pack the box with bodies. This tactic brought Italy the equaliser after Dzeko had scored for Bosnia.
12 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:19:01
13 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:44:06
He's a squad man. He helped us see out the result against Leicester. I also think he would benefit from a season on loan in the Championship.
Let him learn his trade at a stable club, unlike what we have been for him so far. There is a player in there somewhere; time will tell if he is good enough.
14 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:53:50
I think a loan to the championship for him could be good if he's not going to play regularly but he's a Premier League player and can hopefully continue to learn and improve here whilst being part of the rotation.
We only sell him if we get a price of £18+ M but I have always believed he's been our most consistent midfielder over the last 2 seasons and he will continue to get better.
No, he can not play right-back, not any better than Sigurdsson or Gomes could. Let's not get silly ideas when we are finally buying quality players to improve the team.
15 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:54:44
16 Posted 05/09/2020 at 09:55:42
17 Posted 05/09/2020 at 11:29:53
As for Tom Davies, a lovely bit of movement, skill and dinked cross for the first England goal, but his second “assist” was a horribly scuffed shot-cum-pass that fortuitously found it's way to an unmarked Nketiah.
And that sort of sums up Davies for me, good moments followed by moments lacking quality. I think – if the mooted triple signing happens – Tom Davies needs a season loan. Maybe Newcastle – if the rumours of them being interested in signing him – would be a good destination for this coming season.
I also think it's become something of a received truth on here that Tom Davies never hides, has huge courage, and always shows for the ball.
While I think he has shown more courage and presence than a lot of his (older and more celebrated) colleagues, I am not sure I see a player who deserves that sort of blameless reverence.
18 Posted 05/09/2020 at 11:30:22
Hopefully this will show him the standards he needs to achieve on a regular basis. Never like to see any young players leave our club but I think his time is nearly up.
19 Posted 05/09/2020 at 11:45:50
20 Posted 05/09/2020 at 11:50:18
21 Posted 05/09/2020 at 11:59:08
22 Posted 05/09/2020 at 12:03:54
We've covered this so many times on this site, and yet some people seem to really struggle with it.
There are many ways to support a football club. Expecting other people to fall in with how you “support” is impractical and subjective, and suggests that somehow you think you are a better supporter. You are not.
23 Posted 05/09/2020 at 12:06:11
24 Posted 05/09/2020 at 12:12:50
25 Posted 05/09/2020 at 12:27:17
The first goal he laid on was cleverly worked to make space and a perfect dink. The 2nd assist he was again up in support, making himself available, he passed it to where it needed to go, yeah it looked scuffed and scruffy but nothing to say he didn't mean it.
26 Posted 05/09/2020 at 12:34:44
27 Posted 05/09/2020 at 12:43:39
I would never question another poster about whether or not they “actually” support the club just because we have a difference of opinion. Please be open to other schools of thought.
28 Posted 05/09/2020 at 12:50:50
29 Posted 05/09/2020 at 13:17:12
I have to disagree, Joe. There is definitely a place for him in a top 6 squad and at times, a top 6 team.
There will be injuries, suspensions, losses of form etc and you need someone dependable who can come in and do a job in the midfield then Tom is your man.
He needs to impose more of his personality on a game but I expect this to come with more experience and a level of confidence that he is lacking currently.
If we want to compete in Europe and domestically then there will be plenty of games to go around. Milner has discovered that, Butt, Fortune, O'Shea, Kalou etc etc all valuable squad players who played a lot of games for very successful teams.
30 Posted 05/09/2020 at 13:17:19
Goodnight.
31 Posted 05/09/2020 at 13:25:00
I said “I would never question another poster about whether or not they “actually” support the club just because we have a difference of opinion.”
You can't just read the first six words of that statement and apply them in isolation.
Have I questioned whether or not you actually support Everton Football Club at any point? No, I have not. Basic enough for you?
32 Posted 05/09/2020 at 16:55:25
What he lacks is pace/ power and without that he'd be no good at right-back. I already have plenty of memories of him failing to catch-up with an opposition player hindered by running with the ball.
I'd love to know whether he has ever actually been given a personal program of weights and intensive sprint training because there is no evidence in his performances over the last few years that would suggest it. Maybe the fitness experts at the club prefer to wait for his strength to improve naturally?
He is in a sub-group of players l would like to see get some opportunities with our new recruits, to see whether a redistribution of specific responsibilities can improve those who have been required to play outside their natural comfort zone.
33 Posted 06/09/2020 at 19:26:17
But, he's not athletic enough and won't be.
34 Posted 06/09/2020 at 20:36:28
Hits the nail on the head regarding Tom Davies.
There is no doubt that a lot has been asked of the young man but I feel he will really come on now.
35 Posted 07/09/2020 at 08:35:25
Firstly, if he is a "stand-out" at this level, but is not good enough for the Premier League, does that mean that none of his teammates in the England U21 squad will make the grade either?
Or, secondly, if all of the England U21s are good enough, why are Tom's performances for Everton so often criticised?
As has been suggested here and elsewhere, the answer to the second question could well be that, in the England U21 team, he is surrounded and supported by better players than he is at Everton, and therefor his skills are better used.
Now that we will see a supposedly much more dynamic and skilful midfield set-up at Everton this coming season (assuming all three of the targets are signed), we may also see Tom shine for us as he does for the U21s?
I, for one, certainly hope so.
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1 Posted 05/09/2020 at 05:33:19
With better players around him and one of the finest and most successful midfielder-turned-coach to guide him, he can really become our long-term midfield mainstay. Good luck to the young fella.