The Importance of Alphonso Davies

[BFBF]

The problem with a back 3 is you are now leaning on your CBs to be passing from the back. None of our CBs can pass. in a back 2 a midfielder usually drops back to start the attack.

[Stryker911]

Gained another 10,000,000 according to transfermarkt. Now valued at 50 million Euros. Ranked as the 96th most valuable player in the world!! 3rd in his age group behind Sancho and Haaland, 3rd left back behind Robertson and Alaba and 14th in the Bundesliga.

[N1ckbr0wn]

Named Bayern’s POTM for February!! (Sorry I’m still learning this whole forum thing and don’t know how to link a graphic tweet) 

Edited March 12, 2020 by N1ckbr0wn

[BuzzAndSting]

27 minutes ago, N1ckbr0wn said:

Named Bayern’s POTM for February!! (Sorry I’m still learning this whole forum thing and don’t know how to link a graphic tweet) 

Copy and paste the tweet link, just don't paste as plain text and it should embed automatically.

[El Diego]

16 hours ago, BFBF said:

The problem with a back 3 is you are now leaning on your CBs to be passing from the back. None of our CBs can pass. in a back 2 a midfielder usually drops back to start the attack.

I disagree. I'd say that Cornelius, Jakovic, Vitoria, and Hutch (if he is played there) are pretty good passers as CBs, Miller is average, and Henry and James are below average.

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, El Diego said:

I disagree. I'd say that Cornelius, Jakovic, Vitoria, and Hutch (if he is played there) are pretty good passers as CBs, Miller is average, and Henry and James are below average.

I agree except I would bump Henry up to the average category, if not higher. Maybe James too. Henry's short and long passing is definitely underrated. His decision making may come under scrutiny, but his actual technique and ability to pass is pretty decent, at least in my opinion.

[El Diego]

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

I agree except I would bump Henry up to the average category, if not higher. Maybe James too. Henry's short and long passing is definitely underrated. His decision making may come under scrutiny, but his actual technique and ability to pass is pretty decent, at least in my opinion.

His passing itself is ok, but I was looking at overall so I couldn't discount decision making. He makes you scratch your head a lot. James isn't all that bad but nowadays the average CB is a much better passer than before.

[Yoginess]

13 hours ago, Stryker911 said:

Gained another 10,000,000 according to transfermarkt. Now valued at 50 million Euros. Ranked as the 96th most valuable player in the world!! 3rd in his age group behind Sancho and Haaland, 3rd left back behind Robertson and Alaba and 14th in the Bundesliga.

Amazing! A top 100 player in the world (even just by value) is incredible!

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

A very hollow consolation in all this is that for their story about UEFA postponing their games, the BBC used Davies vaulting a Chelsea player as the thumbnail on the front of their sports page. 

(Sorry no pic, I was out when I saw it and they have moved on to stories about the postponement of the domestic leagues)

[dyslexic nam]

I’m the Dominican Republic and my wife saw a guy at the resort with a Davies BM jersey on.  
 

#BigTime 

[CanadianSoccerFan]

You won't see honesty like this from the Hondurans

https://vm.tiktok.com/pPbAgs/

[Snowcrash]

9 hours ago, CanadianSoccerFan said:

You won't see honesty like this from the Hondurans

https://vm.tiktok.com/pPbAgs/

Have to believe the one about yelling at someone for not passing was before he came to Bayern.  

[Yohan]

Copa90 vid on AD

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Yohan

[Ed_S]

?

Edited March 20, 2020 by Ed_S

[SpursFlu]

3 hours ago, T.I.O.R. said:

Should Alphonso Davies be considered a national treasure; along the lines of a person deemed to be of value to an entire nation?

Yes Yes and Yes

But the reality is he's just getting started so its a great time to be a Canadian soccer fan 

[Bertuzzi44]

14 minutes ago, T.I.O.R. said:

Would you go as far as saying with soccer being universally recognized as the undisputed most popular sport in the world, it is only a matter of time till Alphonso Davies surpasses Wayne Gretzky as the best Canadian sports star of all-time?

I think you mean most famous/recognizable.

No chance he ever surpasses Gretzky (or Lemieux imo) as best in their respective sport.

[SpursFlu]

I personally think Steve Nash is the best Canadian sports star ever as far as accomplishment and ability

I think if you consider the the importance of hockey to Canadian culture and the impact he had within our borders you give it to Gretzky. This is more of a subjective thing

But yes I think Alphonso Davies has the ability to surpass both. The only challenge is people strongly consider tangible accomplishments. Can Davies accumulate titles, world cups, player of the year awards, gold cups whatever. It's kinda like his issue with exposure in Canada now. It's kinda hard to convince the casual based on he's really good, in a really popular sport, that the whole world competes at.. if he doesn't accumulate tangible accomplishments 

[WestHamCanadianinOxford]

Grew up with Gretzky on my team, he changed game in North America and the parts of the world that play hockey. (Which is quite small actually).   He was also the absolute peak of skill and nous in the sport.   Davies has a ways to go before he is the best player in the world (in part because the football "world" is much bigger).  Most sports fans here in UK would know the name Gretzky - (if only because he was on Saturday Night Live, a cartoon etc. )  Not sure they know many other Canadian names beyond the Canadians that have played for their football teams or that Canadian darts player who could drink 30ish beers during his matches.  And Ben Johnson.  

Davies certainly can have an near immediate (or immediate when we can have football again) impact on Canada's standing in the world.  And it seems like he is okay with pressure at the moment.  Be nice to see him play again soon. 

[SpursFlu]

2 hours ago, WestHamCanadianinOxford said:

Grew up with Gretzky on my team, he changed game in North America and the parts of the world that play hockey. (Which is quite small actually).   He was also the absolute peak of skill and nous in the sport.   Davies has a ways to go before he is the best player in the world (in part because the football "world" is much bigger).  Most sports fans here in UK would know the name Gretzky - (if only because he was on Saturday Night Live, a cartoon etc. )  Not sure they know many other Canadian names beyond the Canadians that have played for their football teams or that Canadian darts player who could drink 30ish beers during his matches.  And Ben Johnson.  

Davies certainly can have an near immediate (or immediate when we can have football again) impact on Canada's standing in the world.  And it seems like he is okay with pressure at the moment.  Be nice to see him play again soon. 

I love Gretzky. From a pure analytical standpoint he's probably the greatest athlete ever anywhere. The numbers were so staggering. It would have been like Jordan avg 50 pts a game or something. He was winning scoring titles if you just counted assists and was still the greatest goal scorer as well. But I think if you balance many other things like the amount of people playing the game etc etc. Some people also balance notoriety in the entire world. You also have to consider what he meant to Canadians if the question who is the greatest Canadian athlete ever. I give Nash enormous points for overcoming tremendous physical barriers and training resources. He played High School basketball at a tiny high school Victoria in the 80s. No academy, no travelling team, no battles with top national prospects. 4 years later he was in the NBA. A few years later back to back NBA MVPs. For me its mind boggling. 

Davies also has a tremendous story but let's not forget Jonathan David. He's style of play and energy might not be the same but who knows. If he goes to Man U or whatever and bangs in 100 goals. Numbers matter to people and Davies plays LB right know. People aren't always prepared for a nuanced conversation. Maybe its actually Jonathan David. We just dont know yet

Edited March 21, 2020 by SpursFlu

[Weng]

The thing with Gretzky was he wasn’t super athletic. He wasn’t the strongest or fastest, but he was just so damn smart.  His hockey sense and how he thought the game was so superior to everyone else that he didn’t need to be strongest or fastest.  Davies is an amazing physical athlete.  So strong for his age and born with terrific speed.  Now that he’s learning with the best I think his ability to think the game will improve dramatically.  The sky is the limit with this kid!

[Ivan]

I am the same age as Gretzky and played high level baseball against him.  I played with and against quite a few guys who went on to sign pro contracts and played minor pro ball.  Gretzky was the best baseball player i ever played against.  

[Shway]

Good ole Gretzky debate (wrong thread... I know). 

Its hard for me to say that he's the greatest athlete ever, and even greatest hockey player ever when the game has changed drastically from the years he dominated it. The goalies in particular were smaller, didn't wear masks, had smaller pads/less protection, and the standup butterfly was famous. All this to say that if Ovechkin, or Crosby played in times like that they would have scored a lot more then they do now. 

Hockey is one of a few sports where you can look back at the times and say the game was a lot easier then. Yes tougher, more brute and fearless... But skill wise it has evolved drastically! 

So that greatest athlete everywhere talk is biased to Canadian opinion. 

[SpursFlu]

43 minutes ago, Shway said:

Good ole Gretzky debate (wrong thread... I know). 

Its hard for me to say that he's the greatest athlete ever, and even greatest hockey player ever when the game has changed drastically from the years he dominated it. The goalies in particular were smaller, didn't wear masks, had smaller pads/less protection, and the standup butterfly was famous. All this to say that if Ovechkin, or Crosby played in times like that they would have scored a lot more then they do now. 

Hockey is one of a few sports where you can look back at the times and say the game was a lot easier then. Yes tougher, more brute and fearless... But skill wise it has evolved drastically! 

So that greatest athlete everywhere talk is biased to Canadian opinion. 

If it was so easier then how come a top 10player like Mark Messier at the same age, played on the same team, same power play, then played on better teams, played longer and then finished his career with a 1000 less points than Gretzky? By the way 1000 points gets in you in the Hall of Fame. This it was easier then argument is terrible but it always goes un challenged. Watch Pele highlite, even watch Best & Maradona clips. The same can be said. You can only ever judge people by what's in front on of them. You also have to consider what was available to them as resources. Diet, equipment, training, knowledge etc etc. They used to say Mario Lemieux's pre season training redgement consisted of stop ordering fries with his cheeseburger. It's just all different 

Edited March 21, 2020 by SpursFlu

[RS]

48 minutes ago, SpursFlu said:

If it was so easier then how come a top 10player like Mark Messier at the same age, played on the same team, same power play, then played on better teams, played longer and then finished his career with a 1000 less points than Gretzky?

Because Gretzky was undeniably better than Messier?

[SpursFlu]

21 minutes ago, RS said:

Because Gretzky was undeniably better than Messier

That's the point