Jump to content

The Importance of Alphonso Davies


jpg75

Recommended Posts

I would love if Davies could make the trip to be in the city and hype the game even if he doesn't play a minute, I think it would mean so much to the city and program. But I get it... half way around the world just to do some interviews.. It's not like he's trying to win the bid for the World Cup.. It's French Guiana. 

I was wondering why every single article had been saying Davies was high doubtful but none actually pulled the trigger with the "He's definitely out" line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Davies came in 6th in the 2019 NxGn top 50 players in the world. Sancho, Vinicius jr and Hudson-Odoi finished top 3.

Diego Lianez (Mexico/Real Betis) came 8th.

Couldn't find the full list, but it seems that Timothy Weah (USA/Celtic) and Josh Sargent (USA/Werder Bremen) may have came in 17th and 34th respectively.

Can't find Jonathan David's name anywhere though, which would be a criminal exclusion...

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.goal.com/en-kw/amp/news/jadon-sancho-beats-vinicius-jr-to-win-nxgn-award-for-worlds-best-/vntibsmdovq13jr58m1afntl

Edited by Obinna
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

Davies came in 6th in the 2019 NxGn top 50 players in the world. Sancho, Vinicius jr and Hudson-Odoi finished top 3.

Diego Lianez (Mexico/Real Betis) came 8th.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.goal.com/en-kw/amp/news/jadon-sancho-beats-vinicius-jr-to-win-nxgn-award-for-worlds-best-/vntibsmdovq13jr58m1afntl

I've been following Lainez this year, very good player. Skilful and smart. Just watched him vs. Barça this weekend. What is also interesting is that he does not look physically powerful, so he is not up there for any particular physical attribute, just skill and intelligence. 

If I compare Davies and Lainez, I would say, okay, yes, not too different in terms of quality, promise and upside. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I've been following Lainez this year, very good player. Skilful and smart. Just watched him vs. Barça this weekend. What is also interesting is that he does not look physically powerful, so he is not up there for any particular physical attribute, just skill and intelligence. 

If I compare Davies and Lainez, I would say, okay, yes, not too different in terms of quality, promise and upside. 

Yeah, I like Lainez too. I watched him when he first joined Betis. It was either his first or second game, I can't recall, but clearly he has the quality to play for a good La Liga side. That game against Barca though was his first in a month, if I am not mistaken. I don't know if he was injured recently, but I don't think so. Perhaps it was just coach's decision not to play him.

It will be interesting to see how Lainez, Pulisic and Davies all develop as 2026 approaches. It will be cool for each host nation to have a big player they can use to market the WC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Benjamin Massey said:

An ankle sprain bad enough that Bayern left him on for 20 minutes in a game they were winning by six. Obviously fake, but Davies seems to be handling it with class. Not his fault.

I think this is common, but there is a solution: Canada could send a doctor to examine him, we are in our right. We could also ask Bayern to send him anyways to be examined. If they have not asked for a full medical report, they are amateurs, which knowing the CSA is always a possibility.

I am pretty convinced that the ankle sprain that Suárez had in the last play vs. Betis on Sunday was also iffy--at least not enough to justify him missing the Uruguay call-up. But it is sort of their fault: they have two friendlies in China. 

For our part, we have enough talent to deal with our rival without Davies I believe. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I think this is common, but there is a solution: Canada could send a doctor to examine him, we are in our right. We could also ask Bayern to send him anyways to be examined. If they have not asked for a full medical report, they are amateurs, which knowing the CSA is always a possibility.

I am pretty convinced that the ankle sprain that Suárez had in the last play vs. Betis on Sunday was also iffy--at least not enough to justify him missing the Uruguay call-up. But it is sort of their fault: they have two friendlies in China. 

For our part, we have enough talent to deal with our rival without Davies I believe. 

Yeah, the question is how much of a thing do you want to make it, I guess. Play nice for a game against French Guiana that we should win without Davies and will probably survive even if we somehow lose so hopefully for that World Cup qualifier against Honduras you don't have to throw your elbows out and insist upon your rights. We don't have a relationship with Bayern yet so we don't know if this is a "Tomasz Radzinski always gets the CONCACAF flu" situation or if they just can't care about this one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Benjamin Massey said:

Yeah, the question is how much of a thing do you want to make it, I guess. Play nice for a game against French Guiana that we should win without Davies and will probably survive even if we somehow lose so hopefully for that World Cup qualifier against Honduras you don't have to throw your elbows out and insist upon your rights. We don't have a relationship with Bayern yet so we don't know if this is a "Tomasz Radzinski always gets the CONCACAF flu" situation or if they just can't care about this one.

That is where I am at with this one.  If it is precautionary - or even total bullshit - I am still not overly worried.  If we can't beat FG at home with the players that we do have at our disposal, we have bigger issues that a possible conflict with Bayern.   And now is not the time to flex our muscles with Bayern.  Yes, there are steps we could take to ensure the claims are true or insist on his release if they aren't.  But we have a kid who just got his first goal for a global powerhouse.  I don't think it is wussing out to let him stay there and maybe solidify his position in the club.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

Yeah, I like Lainez too. I watched him when he first joined Betis. It was either his first or second game, I can't recall, but clearly he has the quality to play for a good La Liga side. That game against Barca though was his first in a month, if I am not mistaken. I don't know if he was injured recently, but I don't think so. Perhaps it was just coach's decision not to play him.

He also played against Toronto FC in one, if not both of the CONCACAF Champiosn League games. He came on at the end. He looked comparable to Davies, not in the way he played but in the fact that he looked a step above talent wise but still looked like he needed a lot of development as he made bad runs and lost the ball trying to do too much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Ruffian said:

He also played against Toronto FC in one, if not both of the CONCACAF Champiosn League games. He came on at the end. He looked comparable to Davies, not in the way he played but in the fact that he looked a step above talent wise but still looked like he needed a lot of development as he made bad runs and lost the ball trying to do too much.

Right. I think he came on as a sub in the first leg.

He also didn't do much in the friendly against the USA, the one where Miazga was chirping him for being 4 feet tall. I don't recall him having much of an impact, at least.

He seems to be a player who thrives with better players, whereas Davies is just so physically dominant he looks good in any team, good or bad.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Obinna said:

He also didn't do much in the friendly against the USA, the one where Miazga was chirping him for being 4 feet tall. I don't recall him having much of an impact, at least.

I think you'll have to re-watch that game.  Lainez was by far the best player for Mexico in that game vs USA.  Its no wonder Miazga resorted to mocking his height.  Lainez made him and the US backline uncomfortable most of the night.

I would go as far to suggest that this game put Lainez on the map for people who do not follow Liga MX / Mexican football.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for concerns about the legitimacy of the injury, everyone seems to be forgetting the opinion of the most important person, Davies himself. If I were Herdman/CSA and Davies told me he could not play because of the injury I would take him at his word and leave it there. He seems to be enthusiastic about playing for Canada and probably wanted to play in Vancouver before the fans of his old team. He doesn't seem to be the type of player or person to just show up when convenient and we haven't seen any sign of him disagreeing with Bayern's assessment. No need at this point to mess up our relationship with either Davies or Bayern unless there is some reasonable evidence that one of them is screwing is.

BTW I noticed in the video that he gets up awkwardly after the knee slide. It might have been the way he got up that gave the injury not the slide itself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Corazon said:

I think you'll have to re-watch that game.  Lainez was by far the best player for Mexico in that game vs USA.  Its no wonder Miazga resorted to mocking his height.  Lainez made him and the US backline uncomfortable most of the night.

I would go as far to suggest that this game put Lainez on the map for people who do not follow Liga MX / Mexican football.

Perhaps I should. All I can remember is the usa backline being poor, rather than Lainez being amazing. Both teams fielded weakened sides as well, if I recall correctly. Perhaps Lainez was the best player for a Mexican B side that lost....

That said, I have loved what I have seen from him at Betis!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Obinna said:

Perhaps I should. All I can remember is the usa backline being poor, rather than Lainez being amazing. Both teams fielded weakened sides as well, if I recall correctly. Perhaps Lainez was the best player for a Mexican B side that lost....

That said, I have loved what I have seen from him at Betis!

You are correct.  Mexico usually uses a couple friendlies a year to play local Liga MX / MLS players which is essentially is a combination of their full team and their "B squad".  Many top players take a rest immediately after a World Cup as well.  I suspect Lainez will be involved in most Mexico squads going forward but he has a lot of competition in his position.

Canada should imitate the Mexican National Team and  1) Book more friendlies (Mexico had 12 friendlies in 2018 to go along with their 4 World Cup Games) and 2) Use a few of those friendlies to call on CPL & the MLS players not heavily used in our current squad rotation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About Lainez, another thing to like we also get with Davies: honest player, at least I am not seeing him embellishing, he is pretty straightforward. Coming from Mexico that is saying a lot.

Both being wide players my opinion is that you absolutely have to go down easy sometimes, you have to do what you can to keep physical defenders off you. To make them doubt before jumping in. Otherwise your career will end early to injury, wings are always susceptible to tackles that are hard on ankles, knees. If you are basically an honest player, you don't also have to be a fool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Corazon said:

You are correct.  Mexico usually uses a couple friendlies a year to play local Liga MX / MLS players which is essentially is a combination of their full team and their "B squad".  Many top players take a rest immediately after a World Cup as well.  I suspect Lainez will be involved in most Mexico squads going forward but he has a lot of competition in his position.

Canada should imitate the Mexican National Team and  1) Book more friendlies (Mexico had 12 friendlies in 2018 to go along with their 4 World Cup Games) and 2) Use a few of those friendlies to call on CPL & the MLS players not heavily used in our current squad rotation.

Couldn't agree more!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, red card said:

Yes we need more friendlies. But comparing to Mexico is a bit unfair.

They got SUM behind for their games in the USA. They get 60K+ easily with tickets priced more than EPL matches. So, everyone is getting paid including the players.

Agreed, you really cannot compare to Mexico.  Absolutely.  Maybe not literally to Mexico but perhaps we can add 6 or 7 friendlies a year like Jamaica and other smaller CONCACAF teams.  I can't imagine they doing much greater numbers than Canada?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...