Ben Davies Performance Report
Ben Davies Performance Report
Opponents: Partizan Belgrade
Competition: UEFA Europa League
Venue: Partizan Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia (UEFA Category 3 Stadium)
The is no getting away from it Ben Davies was having a very tough night, which was made to look worse when he was taking corners from the right only for Partizan Belgrade to break down the left. He was consistently being beaten and has a problem because he is not quick which means when he goes forward and we lose the ball, he can't get back. That is a worry and a weakness teams will target.
He is still coming to terms with the system and how to play it, by that I mean he has to learn what he can do and what he can't do, how far he can go forward at what times and how quickly he can get back. He will need to rely on match practice and reading the game. He should not however be written off as some were doing on Twitter.
Leighton Baines used to be a poor defender but good going forward and it's only in the last couple of years that his defending has improved, Davies is going to have to learn the same way he did, trial and error. The important thing is to learn from the game, he won't have experienced too many like it in such an atmosphere, playing badly in such an atmosphere that is.
He is still coming to terms with the system and how to play it, by that I mean he has to learn what he can do and what he can't do, how far he can go forward at what times and how quickly he can get back. He will need to rely on match practice and reading the game. He should not however be written off as some were doing on Twitter.
Leighton Baines used to be a poor defender but good going forward and it's only in the last couple of years that his defending has improved, Davies is going to have to learn the same way he did, trial and error. The important thing is to learn from the game, he won't have experienced too many like it in such an atmosphere, playing badly in such an atmosphere that is.
First-half
1 min Davies corner is flicked on by Vertonghen to Kane who rounds his man on the left and fires a shot against the underside of the bar but it comes out.5 mins Davies and Lennon link up well to put Lennon in a crossing position from which the keeper gathers.
13 mins Townsend gives the ball away but Davies is covering and clears to ball to safety.
15 mins The ball is played over the top of Davies and Grbic is n down the right-hand side of the box. He feigns a shot but steps back inside and pulls the ball back to the waiting Lazovic. His shot is well blocked by Fazio.
16 mins Belgrade play the ball inside Davies who is wide on the line and Vulicevic is through on the right. Fazio has to come across to tackle. The ball is collected and passed to Vulicevic again who crosses for Lazovic. Fazio is again there to head away.
30 mins Grbic gets in behind Davies again and pulls a cross back for Sasa Illic to volley over. Davies was up field and simply couldn't get back, he isn't quick enough and these new ankle boots make everyone look like cart horses when they are not that bad.
35 mins Davies puts in a poor clearance but redeems himself by blocking the subsequent shot.
44 mins Davies takes a corner, the keeper catches and immediately sends a counter attack down the right resulting in a shot Lloris has to save.
Half-time: Davies has done some good work defensively but also been caught out far too often. Partizan are dragging him wide to the touchline and then playing the ball in behind him which he is struggling to cope with. The wide man plays the ball back and sets off for the return so Davies is always playing catch up, he has to anticipate and read the game better, realise what they are trying to do.
Second-half
48 mins Davies is holding Bebic's arm near the corner flag but and is slightly byline side of him so he turns nicely back inside and Davies has to bundle him over to stop him heading towards goal. A deserved yellow card and free-kick. The ball is crossed about 4 yards from goal waist high and makes it to the middle of the goal where Hugo Lloris dives forward and punches the cross clear.50 mins Lazovic beats Davies but Fazio is aware of the danger and blocks the cross. From the clearance a long ball finds Lazovic he pulls it back for a left footed Grbic shot but he scuffs it and it rolls gently into Lloris's arms.
51 mins Davies does well holding up play with two players to mark and no midfielders rushing back to help.
53 mins Davies is pushing forward and plays a smart ball diagonally forward into Townsend's path that would see him have a clear central run at goal but Townsend can't collect it.
58 mins Davies passes the ball away down the line, pass isn't anywhere near a Spurs player but Vetonghen covers the danger.
61 mins Long ball see Davies, as last man centrally, slice the ball. Lloris is smartly out to the right to prevent the corner and put the ball out for a throw under pressure. From the throw the ball is whipped in from the right. Davies ensures his man is offside but Lloris doesn't know that and dives at Lazovic to make a smart save.
72 mins A diagonal ball from deep (regular tactic) finds Grbic in space on the right. Davies gets back quickly and blocks cross behind from a corner. The ball comes in and after a scramble breaks to Petrovic on the left who fires high and wide.
74 mins Petrovic crosses from deep, wide on the left. Davies tries to clear with his right foot but it goes straight to Sasa Ilic on the edge of the area. Fortunately he puts it miles over.
77 mins A through ball finds Grbic, on the right who has run to the byline past Davies. Cuts a sharp cross back cross for Ilic, but his header from 10 yards is poor and flies over.
Davies stuck to his task while getting worked over. He suffered the same problems Danny Rose was suffering last season, diagonal balls and the ball inside him for the wide man to run on to. His concentration was good, he was the last man covering centrally on several occasions and dealt with everything is not perfectly, he stepped up to play his man offside showing a clear head.
There was no panic to his play even though he wasn't having a good game and we were at times under pressure. He got forward to support the attack and played a couple of nice first time passes again showing awareness of team mates around him. Plenty to work on. The immediate future will see a League Cup tie and then another UEFA Europa League tie so a game a week for the next few weeks.
Twitter Reaction
JULIE @1Julie92I will not comment "negatively" on Davies, he's new. Needs time.
Sussex Spur @SussexSpur
Davies showing why Rose is 1st choice LB at the mo
Anthoulla @Anthoulla1
Davies is getting targeted badly ... He's having a mare tbh
Gary N17 @GaryLittle4
Ben Davies will want to forget tonight very quickly!!
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