Mark Davies

[Prufrock]

It's easier to get through 1 v 1, than 2 v 2

Especially when their left back is George fecking Elokobi. I think Mavies has looked a lot better wide right. If we were to sell him, £4million wouldn't be far wrong, BUT, to sell him now would make us worse, and considering the price of the whole relegation lark, no from me. He lacks end product, but he is a good player. Some on here seem to think he is Messi and build a team around him (main man in the whole? Nowhere near enough end product) and others think he is utter gash. Tidy, but useless. I thin he's all right.

[Jokers in White]

He's our best player ability wise, understand about the end product but the lad has never had a good run of games due to injuries up until recently so let's see what the lad can do now he's first name on the team sheet. I've always rated him and he was involved in both goals last night, he did a clever back heel to Reo Coker who then gave it Ngog to finish last night. Remember Glenn Hoddle saying when he was manager at Wolves that he was the best young player he had ever seen when he was in there youth team.

[Prufrock]

Best player ability wise? What does that mean? How else is a player judged other than by 'ability'. If we are talking about best players he isn't even close.

[irie Cee Bee]

Best player ability wise? What does that mean? How else is a player judged other than by 'ability'. If we are talking about best players he isn't even close.

Heart

[Jokers in White]

Best player ability wise? What does that mean? How else is a player judged other than by 'ability'. If we are talking about best players he isn't even close.

He is very good in possession, can dribble with the ball and go past people with ease, intelligent, good passer of the ball. Who else can do these things Muamba

I think he has the best attributes overall but that's just me.

[Prufrock]

No but Muamba can tackle, has one more league goal for us than Mark Davies, quicker, stronger, better in the air, defensively more aware. All 'ability', no?

He is good at dribbling, and a good passer, in that he recycles it well. He doesn't have much range, and has never looked like breaking open defences with his passing (his dribbling yes, his passing, no). He is technically good, but he doesn't have as much 'ability' as Holden, or Lee, and assuming (because I can't see why not) defensive attributes count Cahill is better than him technically. Good player, but not one of our best.

[Jokers in White]

No but Muamba can tackle, has one more league goal for us than Mark Davies, quicker, stronger, better in the air, defensively more aware. All 'ability', no?

He is good at dribbling, and a good passer, in that he recycles it well. He doesn't have much range, and has never looked like breaking open defences with his passing (his dribbling yes, his passing, no). He is technically good, but he doesn't have as much 'ability' as Holden, or Lee, and assuming (because I can't see why not) defensive attributes count Cahill is better than him technically. Good player, but not one of our best.

Its a pity everyone wasn't fit because a midfield of Petrov, Reo Coker, M Davies, Holden, Lee would be very strong has a 5 in midfield.

Who would you say then is the best player at the club?

[Wandering Willy]

With the ball at his feet Mark Davies is one of the best we have and plays everytime for me.

[plymouth wanderer]

With the ball at his feet Mark Davies is one of the best we have and plays everytime for me.

Fvcking A

[Prufrock]

Holden>Cahill>Lee I think in that order, but that probably changes daily, with not much between them, and a fair gap to the rest of them. Davies is a decent passer, tidy. Not as good as Holden who has a better range and uses it more intelligently, or Lee who has the penetration in the final third, but probably best of the rest, along with Cahill. He's arguably the best dribbler at the club, and only challenged by Petrov. He is a good player, and can be exciting, but he doesn't affect things enough, and he doesn't make enough things happen.

[TKIZ!]

So, just to re-cap: We're bottom of the league, about to lose our star-man central defender, our two best players are still on the injured list, our goal last week scored by a full back just off it, loan chances looking very slim and we want to talk about one of our better lads getting sold for four million as an achievement? I mean we're so very strong in midfield aren't we and MD is one of the few players who can beat a man and get the ball forward without hoofitis. Aye, get rid, we've always got Pratley to fall back on. Fxcking hell!

This. And then some. Davies has looked like he finally could be getting into a run of games and people want shut and then complain about us being bottom of the league and having Darren Pratley. Clueless

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

any midfielder who had claims to be the "best player at the club" would be able to have a consistent impact in a 4-4-2 - if he can't and i don't believe M Davies can then he is as much a luxury player as a Petrov.
for me as far as centre mid goes
Holden 1st pick
Muamba 2nd
Reo-Coker 3rd
the rest much of a muchness (ducks as the Pratley haters take aim)
so if Davies cant oust Eagles or Lee from right side of midfield (and i dont think he can despite last night) then moving him on is good business in anything but the short term

[Prufrock]

Unfortunately, what with the best midfielder at the club, and the best winger being dead, he is vital in the short term. A short term which is itself pretty fecking important.

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

depends if you can get summat more useful to us than him for the short term then.... a midfield player with a better passing range would be a start
and if the 4 mill offered is true (doubtful) then we probably could

[irie Cee Bee]

depends if you can get summat more useful to us than him for the short term then.... a midfield player with a better passing range would be a start
and if the 4 mill offered is true (doubtful) then we probably could

You have anyone in particular in mind ?

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

nope
but i'd like to think BWFC employ people with a more intimitate acquaintance of who is available and what their skill sets are than me.
i'm not saying we should definately move him on but he's not a "must keep" for me

[One Hump Or Two?]

any midfielder who had claims to be the "best player at the club" would be able to have a consistent impact in a 4-4-2 - if he can't and i don't believe M Davies can then he is as much a luxury player as a Petrov.
for me as far as centre mid goes

Yeah but judging a player on whether he will fit into a rigid 4-4-2 is a bad yardstick. Traditional 4-4-2 is a dying system, and it looks like even Coyle has got the message now. The only reasons we've made it work at all under Coyle were Wilshere and then Holden - two exceptional talents who could do it all in terms of workrate, tackling, box-to-box, distribution and goal threat. There is plenty of room for Mavies in a five man midfield or in a 4-2-3-1. And if we have to stick him out wide, he is certainly a better player than Eagles.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

I'm not sure 4 million gets you the mythical ball playing midfielder.I have a feeling Coyle has stumbled upon a system which suits Mavis and NGog whilst making the team more secure defensively aswell so it would be crazy to let Mavis go. We dont have anyone else who can go past people like Mavis can and whilst end product isnt always great thats as much to do with those around him as the player himself.He's not a winger( cant remember him hitting the byline and crossing) and he's not a central midfielder(not strong enough and lacks stamina) but a free role in a 5 man midfield is the perfect opportunity for him to do well.

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

any midfielder who had claims to be the "best player at the club" would be able to have a consistent impact in a 4-4-2 - if he can't and i don't believe M Davies can then he is as much a luxury player as a Petrov.
for me as far as centre mid goes

Yeah but judging a player on whether he will fit into a rigid 4-4-2 is a bad yardstick. Traditional 4-4-2 is a dying system, and it looks like even Coyle has got the message now. The only reasons we've made it work at all under Coyle were Wilshere and then Holden - two exceptional talents who could do it all in terms of workrate, tackling, box-to-box, distribution and goal threat. There is plenty of room for Mavies in a five man midfield or in a 4-2-3-1. And if we have to stick him out wide, he is certainly a better player than Eagles.

disagree. Eagles has made the greater impact on games than Davies this season.
as for formation its horses for courses 4-4-2 still has legs in a fair proportion of games given the personnel (Holden and Muamba) but unfortunately we havent had that available. but simply because we haven't doesn't make 4-4-2 a "dying system" just inappropriate/ineffectual at the moment.

[TANGODANCER]

depends if you can get summat more useful to us than him for the short term then.... a midfield player with a better passing range would be a start
and if the 4 mill offered is true (doubtful) then we probably could

If they're that easily attained,the question begs as to why West Brom have four mil to spend and want Mark Davies? See, very shortly, our reputation (according to some) as a selling club is going to kick us right up the rectum. We talk about a settled team and players not getting time together, yet somebody comes in for one of our players and we want to sell and assume a superstar saviour is just waiting in the wings with a "please buy me" Paddington Bear like tag round his neck. Go with what we have, get Lee and Holden back in the team and get out of danger before even thinking about bringing in any more Mears, Pratleys, Blakes, Boyatas, Tuncays or Kakutas to sit on the bench.