The only thing I'd change about Davis' role in the squad is perhaps taking away the responsibility he's been given in training for coaching the rest of our midfield on finishing. They've clearly learnt everything he's got to offer already. As for the team, the stats (which I do not have, cannot be arsed looking for and will renounce if they undermine my argument) clearly demonstrate that we perform better with him.
I like Davis, not been the same player since his injury he got on international duty. He will come good again and will remember how to shoot.
If I was Ron I'd have stay behind after training tomorrow and spend 3 hours on his own kicking the ball at an empty net.
I like Steve Davis, been a fairly consistent midfielder for Saints over past few seasons when we have usually been doing well. Should of scored yesterday, but that's life Jim sometimes they just wont go in ! Ask Pelle, and he IS a centre forward ! What a load of baloney Tom about 3 misses being unacceptable - this was a real game involving human beings not a computer game ! ...t happens !
Don't think JWP offers as nearly as much defensively as SD. Also, I haven't seen JWP banging goals in, or even getting in positions to do so. Not sure he's an upgrade to the starting 11.
I don't know why everyone is jumping on Davis...this is the first time it has happened and now suddenly he is the sole reason we didn't win the league. He has been part of this successful season and has the manager's confidence. Most players have a down turn...I have to say that I had never considered his lack of goals as I had never considered him a striker. His mistake seems to be getting himself into the right place, but not being Rickie Lambert.
I held completely the same opinion about Davis before this match as I do now. One bad match means nothing. But let's not kid ourselves, someone's finishing can't get worse than that.
We have not been short of people who will put in a shift and graft, chase and close things down this season or last. However I'd like to see them coming off the bench once we've scored a couple or three to see out the game. When you start them you don't score goals. He may not be the cause of our inability to score but he certainly isnt the answer.
Who knows whether we would get to 2-0 or 3-0 up without Davis? He does so much work closing down midfield how many attacks would have resulted in a goal had he not been there? And do we regularly find ourselves 3-0 up with a large chunk of the match remaining?
Need to upgrade in his position if we are to progress. Good player but not really top 6 stater for me. Definitely keep him in the squad though
Huge fan of Davis, but I've always thought he lacks consistency infront of goal. Fortunately he's pretty excellent at everything else. To anyone questioning his technical ability, I refer you to his assist against Arsenal at home. Who else in our team could have taken that ball down and had the awareness and ability to lay it on a plate almost in one fluid movement?
Absolutely. You might be right but with Schneiderlin and Wanyama on the pitch if we are also relying to Davis to defend then perhaps thats why we aren't scoring freely. I'm not laying it all at the feet of Davis, its only my opinion but I don't want another defensive player when we've 7 out there already. We need a creative goalscorer. He isn't that.
He would be a good player to have on the bench next year, and if we get to Europe. But I wouldn't want him to be first choice next season, we need to be looking at a better quality of player
I think he's been brilliant in a number of games this year, a real midfield engine with spark, drive and energy. Unfortunately the 'couldn't hit a barn door' shooting hasn't helped what people think of him, but equally he's often been unlucky not to score. I do think we need better if we are in the EL for next year though.
He has still provided the 3rd highest number of assists for us this season and I am fairly sure that if RK continues to pick him, then reason for that is, RK and the rest of our coaching team have utilised the black box and understand football better than those fans that watch, but only see the obvious (the misses, or the goals) and fail to see everything else. Those fans shouldn't feel bad though, they are just about on a par with Garth Crooks...
