One Craig Davies

[Lags]

Whilst all of us attend the matches and see the individual performances for ourselves (and come up with different ratings!!) none of us know what these players are really like. Today for me seemed like Davis is alienated from a good few of the squad, especially Hughes. I get the impression Hughes is exasperated with some of the none service he recieves from Davis and was fairly sure today he pointed to his head indicating to Shez his belief that Davis hasn't got a brain. This was directly after Davis should have squared it for Hughes to net wfilst Davis blasted wide. I also noticed Davis having words with someone else but wasn't sure who.

For me it seems Davis is a little temperamental and sulks, its as if any criticism levelled at him from players, manager and fans alike he feels picked on and doesn't have the ability to say to himself stuff them I'll show you and dig deeper. It just seems to effect his game and manner to all around him, it shows in his body language and drags him down. Maybe some psycological help would be Craig's making because the lad can make things happen when he is on top, he just needs to learn to harness his drive when he's not quite on song. This appearance of indifference to each other between Hughes and Davis needs repairing asap, which I mentioned weeks ago. However we don't know if this actually does exist.

[wardlelatic]

Whilst all of us attend the matches and see the individual performances for ourselves (and come up with different ratings!!) none of us know what these players are really like. Today for me seemed like Davis is alienated from a good few of the squad, especially Hughes. I get the impression Hughes is exasperated with some of the none service he recieves from Davis and was fairly sure today he pointed to his head indicating to Shez his belief that Davis hasn't got a brain. This was directly after Davis should have squared it for Hughes to net wfilst Davis blasted wide. I also noticed Davis having words with someone else but wasn't sure who.

For me it seems Davis is a little temperamental and sulks, its as if any criticism levelled at him from players, manager and fans alike he feels picked on and doesn't have the ability to say to himself stuff them I'll show you and dig deeper. It just seems to effect his game and manner to all around him, it shows in his body language and drags him down. Maybe some psycological help would be Craig's making because the lad can make things happen when he is on top, he just needs to learn to harness his drive when he's not quite on song. This appearance of indifference to each other between Hughes and Davis needs repairing asap, which I mentioned weeks ago. However we don't know if this actually does exist.

 

 

all good points Lags ... agree 100%

[happyterryb]

He was trying too hard to score and not at all with anything else, had a face on him all game. Must have had a during the break because he was working harder for the team before going back to how he was. He needs to be more professional, might have been an error to bring Wolfy on, they ran all over him but even still the defence should have stood firm against 10 men.

HE WASNT TRYING AT ALL!!!!!

[BigfinLatic]

Whilst all of us attend the matches and see the individual performances for ourselves (and come up with different ratings!!) none of us know what these players are really like. Today for me seemed like Davis is alienated from a good few of the squad, especially Hughes. I get the impression Hughes is exasperated with some of the none service he recieves from Davis and was fairly sure today he pointed to his head indicating to Shez his belief that Davis hasn't got a brain. This was directly after Davis should have squared it for Hughes to net wfilst Davis blasted wide. I also noticed Davis having words with someone else but wasn't sure who.

For me it seems Davis is a little temperamental and sulks, its as if any criticism levelled at him from players, manager and fans alike he feels picked on and doesn't have the ability to say to himself stuff them I'll show you and dig deeper. It just seems to effect his game and manner to all around him, it shows in his body language and drags him down. Maybe some psycological help would be Craig's making because the lad can make things happen when he is on top, he just needs to learn to harness his drive when he's not quite on song. This appearance of indifference to each other between Hughes and Davis needs repairing asap, which I mentioned weeks ago. However we don't know if this actually does exist.

 

Brilliant post - I also think it highlights a key aspect of davies Career - he has been shifted about as a young player and never really played a full season "in the limelight" - he will got hrough spells like this, and the club needs to figure out a way to get him through it...

 

Hughesy has to adjust a little too - he has played with some bloody good palyers who will put goals on a plate for him... I hope he can help davies through this, rather than get too frustrated... which is understandably happening...

 

Just think another striker will take so much weight of everyones shoulders - and that is happening...

[Diego_Sideburns]

Whilst all of us attend the matches and see the individual performances for ourselves (and come up with different ratings!!) none of us know what these players are really like. Today for me seemed like Davis is alienated from a good few of the squad, especially Hughes. I get the impression Hughes is exasperated with some of the none service he recieves from Davis and was fairly sure today he pointed to his head indicating to Shez his belief that Davis hasn't got a brain. This was directly after Davis should have squared it for Hughes to net wfilst Davis blasted wide. I also noticed Davis having words with someone else but wasn't sure who.

For me it seems Davis is a little temperamental and sulks, its as if any criticism levelled at him from players, manager and fans alike he feels picked on and doesn't have the ability to say to himself stuff them I'll show you and dig deeper. It just seems to effect his game and manner to all around him, it shows in his body language and drags him down. Maybe some psycological help would be Craig's making because the lad can make things happen when he is on top, he just needs to learn to harness his drive when he's not quite on song. This appearance of indifference to each other between Hughes and Davis needs repairing asap, which I mentioned weeks ago. However we don't know if this actually does exist.

 

Just to remind you of an extract from another site which I posted here on 5th January:

 

Craig Davies, who has formed a promising partnership with Hughes, said: "Lee will probably will get a bit of stick but he's been getting it all season and he's responded by scoring goals.

 

"That's what he will be out to do against Everton and if he does get booed then that's because they know what a threat he is."

 

"It has obviously been a difficult few years for Lee but the way he's gone about his business since he came to Oldham has been superb," explained Davies.

 

"He's a great lad and very popular with the fans and all the lads.

 

"He's also an outstanding professional and a natural goalscorer - his goalscoring record at West Brom was frightening.

 

"I've certainly learned a great deal from him this season.

 

"You can tell what a top player he is, just by his first touch, and I can tell you now that he'll be desperate to show that at Goodison Park."

 

"I'm really enjoying myself at Oldham and have got a manager in John Sheridan who believes in me," said Davies.

[boundaryblue80]

Can't agree with you on that mate. He had beaten his man and was in a very good shooting position he was moving in at full pace, and also in the box where a number of defenders. He had to beat a man to make the oppurtunity in the first place, so he would of had to beat the man, get his head up, control the pass to find Hughes, and he was so close to the goal, i didn't see the point as he was in a very good goalscoring position himself, the pace of his movement for me would of made it hard for him to cut it back perfectly for Hughes, meaning i think we had more chance of him scoring by him shooting.

 

About Hughes going mad, its not just Davies, he does it too anyone, whenever he's in the box and someone shoots he goes mad, i remember at Walsall one of his first games, Taylor cut in and shot and Hughes went mental, first time i'd seen him do it, and it shocked me, use to it now though, as i suppose its just part of his passion.

 

Spot on about that first chance. Was right infront of me and he took just an ever so slight extra touch before shooting...that's all he was guilty of. He should've hit it once he'd got past his first man in the box, but that touch allowed their lad to just get that extra half-second to get in the way and block. The 2nd chance in the 2nd half, yep, he took the wrong decision. Should've squared it, without doubt. But that's the player he is...esp now, when he's desperate for a goal. He does frustrate me that he's not as much a team player as I'd like and it's up to Shez to get the best out of him! If anyone, it's Shez who should be talking to Davies about his game to sort him out. That's Shez's job...to get the best out of him. Maybe he already is, nobody knows. But it's easy just to blame Davies without saying, is Shez helping him out and bringing on his game?

Edited January 14, 2008 by boundaryblue80

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Firstly, the Wolfy sub. Shez was RIGHT to try and change it. Davies was doing absolutely sod all and of the players on the bench Wolfy looked the best bet. It worked against Crewe; great. It didn't work against Brighton; C'est la vie. Hindsights amazing, isn't it?

 

Now Davies for me is as frustrating as frustrating can get. One, he should have squared it for Hughes to make it 2-0 which everyone acknowledges and would have killed that game off. Two, headless chicken. Yes, he was doing a lot of running, closing down etc. but that's ONLY one part of defending from the front. The second part is keeping hold of the ball when you have it which he just CAN'T do for some reason and this lets his game down big time for me. The ball constantly kept coming back to us and wasn't adhesive enough. He has bags of pace but never seems to use it, opting for keeping the ball and trying to use tricks and skill to get past defenders when just knocking it past them and haring after it is a much better way for him.

 

But, he's young, and pretty empty up top. He has lots of potential but the jury is out yet for me. Thing is, his faults are all fixable with good coaching and constant bitching at him in training.

[Stitch_KTF]

As said further up, greediness in a striker can only be good, but when appropriate. On more than one occasion Davies could have set up lee hughes to score so being too greedy can effect the team.

 

For me 'greediness' is, in football terms, defined as not passing the ball when the ball should be passed. This is never, ever, ever good. Ever! Even if a spectacular dribble resulting in a goal occurs if the player should have passed then he should have passed.

 

 

I couldnt make the Brighton game but all the "Davies is greedy" cries are hardly surprising. It has been clear from day one that he is! The lazy jibes are staggering tough, although I do suspect he chases the ball down not so much for the good of the team but just because he loves to have it at his feet so much!!! He does seem to play very much for himself which will always hold him back.

 

 

 

But, he's young, and pretty empty up top. He has lots of potential but the jury is out yet for me. Thing is, his faults are all fixable with good coaching and constant bitching at him in training.

 

His faults are fixable except for the major one - his seemingly complete lack of a 'football brain'. So bang on with the empty up top comment. I sometimes think maybe he isnt greedy - maybe he just doesnt bloody spot all these obvious, easy killer passes!

 

 

 

However Davies does have the attributes required to overcome that major fault and im sure there would be no shortage of takers for him in this league, and he will get better. The day he realises he is no Nicolas Anelka will probably be the start of some rapid improvement! Id show him some Darren Bent videos thats the type of top player he ought to be aspiring to play like. A direct, keep-it-simple, speed merchant. He could, and will I think, become an excellent one of those.

[ajjovek]

How people can blame Craig Davies for us not winning that game is a joke, he wasn’t on the pitch when they scored. I nearly throttled a lad outside blaming it all on Davies… it’s just stupidity.

 

Granted, he sulks and this needs to be sorted out pronto if he’s going to stay at the club and make a success of himself. But I think people are quick to forget the Craig Davies at the start of the season who bagged almost ALL of our goals and looked like one of the most exciting attacking prospects we’ve had at the club for about 10 years. He was tearing teams apart week in, week out and now he’s gone off the boil a bit and he’s public enemy number one, getting blamed for us not winning games when he was off the pitch when an equalizer went in!

 

As for Wolfenden, just not enough of a threat I’m afraid. No point putting a small striker on when your one-nil up and need to hold the ball up better. Totally agree with someone else’s post about sending him out on loan. If the kid needs games/experience/confidence let him do it for someone in league two rather than chucking him on in pressure situations for us.

[Stitch_KTF]

How people can blame Craig Davies for us not winning that game is a joke, he wasn’t on the pitch when they scored. I nearly throttled a lad outside blaming it all on Davies… it’s just stupidity.

 

 

There is a world of difference between blaming somebody for the teams failure to win the game and blaming somebody for the incident of conceding a goal which is what you appear to be suggesting people have done.

 

I dunno who, if anybody in particular is to be blamed. I dont know because I wasnt there. But I am prepared to hazard a guess that it was the fault of Shez.....

[daznathe]

Or the second half when he was cutting in from the right, Hughesy was free in the middle with an open goal, and Davies goes for the spectacular and shoots wide. Hughesy was going absolutely crackers at him but Davies was too busy rollocking the linesman for not sparing his blushes by awarding a corner that never was.

 

E4e

GREED

 

looked to me like he was just trying not to look at hughesy, he looked at the rre then the shop then the floodlight then the exit gate then the stand then the advertising boards then the floor then the sky then sheepishly turned round and hughes was angry

[ajjovek]

There is a world of difference between blaming somebody for the teams failure to win the game and blaming somebody for the incident of conceding a goal which is what you appear to be suggesting people have done.

 

You can’t blame him directly for either, is my point. And you certainly can’t justify calling him ‘’a joke’’ or ‘’a disgrace’’ which is what this lad outside the ground was doing.

 

He had two defenders on him all game, for a reason - because he is a major threat. As soon as he went off, they didn’t need to double up on him anymore and then Brighton got back into the game. I’m not directly attributing this to him getting substituted but it certainly didn’t seem to help matters as the ball just kept coming back to us… before that, davies was winning a lot of headers, despite not making much use of the balls on the floor.

 

I just think it’s astonishing how quickly people forget quality and how short sighted Oldham fans can be sometimes.

 

Anyway, let’s just hope we sign a striker and someone who can pass a ball to him, by the time we have to play at not-so-fortress boundary park in two weeks!

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

You can't blame him directly for either, is my point. And you certainly can't justify calling him ''a joke'' or ''a disgrace'' which is what this lad outside the ground was doing.

 

He had two defenders on him all game, for a reason - because he is a major threat. As soon as he went off, they didn't need to double up on him anymore and then Brighton got back into the game. I'm not directly attributing this to him getting substituted but it certainly didn't seem to help matters as the ball just kept coming back to us… before that, davies was winning a lot of headers, despite not making much use of the balls on the floor.

 

I just think it's astonishing how quickly people forget quality and how short sighted Oldham fans can be sometimes.

 

Anyway, let's just hope we sign a striker and someone who can pass a ball to him, by the time we have to play at not-so-fortress boundary park in two weeks!

 

I don't know what that lad was saying but although not directly, Davies WAS a key into how we didn't have that game wrapped up. The ball would not stick to him all day and when that happens you indirectly put yourself under more pressure. Ball control is something he has to work very hard on as at the moment his second touch is either a header or a tackle. You either weren't there or deluded if you think that the ball only started to come back at us as soon as Davies went off.

 

Letting leads slip is getting more and more tiresome and frustrating now. As hard working as Brighton were, they should never have been even within a sniff of an equaliser and with the addition of a quality midfielder and front man who can hold the ball up we will be turning those silly dropped points into wins.

 

Stitch - Know what you mean about football brain. Davies won't ever suddenly develop one but he is a good prospect.

[Senor_Coconut]

I don't know what that lad was saying but although not directly, Davies WAS a key into how we didn't have that game wrapped up. The ball would not stick to him all day and when that happens you indirectly put yourself under more pressure. Ball control is something he has to work very hard on as at the moment his second touch is either a header or a tackle. You either weren't there or deluded if you think that the ball only started to come back at us as soon as Davies went off.

 

Letting leads slip is getting more and more tiresome and frustrating now. As hard working as Brighton were, they should never have been even within a sniff of an equaliser and with the addition of a quality midfielder and front man who can hold the ball up we will be turning those silly dropped points into wins.

 

Stitch - Know what you mean about football brain. Davies won't ever suddenly develop one but he is a good prospect.

 

 

 

Watching the extended highlights just now, the first chance should have been squared to Hughes but it was far from being a certain goal as there were bodies on the line, the second he had a right to go for, and a third chance (which no-one mentions) which he could have gone for he squared to JP who hit a weak shot.

 

 

Shez lost us the game on Saturday, not Davies.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Shez lost us the game on Saturday, not Davies.

 

We didn't lose.

 

And I never said it was entirely Davies' fault. I've said he was KEY to us not winning the game. It's different.

[Andyt84]

The 2nd one he had 3 players round him and the only option was the shot and also Hughes had a player marking him so I think he took the right decision.

[RoytonBlueLad]

Anybody just left of the halfway way line in the Lookers here that lad early 20's have a go at Wolfy?

 

"You've lost every ball so far!"

 

First time he'd been near the ball since it entered their half. He cannot get the ball from defenders on our 18 yard line just for a touch!

 

If that's you, you're a total plank. Five minutes earlier you'd been screaming for him to come on

Edited January 14, 2008 by RoytonBlueLad

[Andyt84]

I heard that, I think somebody told him to shut up.

[leezyverpunk]

No point picking out individuals IMHO - we win as a team, draw as a team and lose as a team - no point pointing finger at individuals - GK, DF MF and ATT were not good enuff on Satdu to win. Now back to winning away were I dont go !

[oafc0000]

Just watched the highlights on virgin and alot of our chances came via or too Davies.....

 

He did some great flick ons and headers and was unlucky not to score.....

 

I think its totally off the mark what some people are saying about him....

Edited January 14, 2008 by oafc0000

[Andyt84]

I think its due to a few people having a go at him which has snowballed due to us not winning.

[danoafc]

One incident with Davies summed him up perfectly today. In the first half, he was coming in from his "more comfortable on the left coming into the box" side of the pitch. Hughes was in space near the penalty spot and Davies was being closed down. Rather than pass it to Hughes - and CD was in a position to do so - he greedily kept the ball and the shot was blocked & cleared.

 

For me, Davies is too moody a player and wants all the glory for himself and as soon as Hughes scores he spits his dummy out and sulks throughout the match. Its as if its 10 men plus Davies just to support the Craig Davies show.

 

Absolutely agree 100%.

 

Until Davies removes the chip off his shoulder and actually passes the ball to Hughes (when he's unmarked and screaming for the ball), he's not gonna get anywhere.

 

His nose has been well out of joint ever since Hughes started bagging, cos he's not the one receiving the plaudits.

 

I think the lad has ability in abundance and COULD be a very very useful/important player for us - the harsh reality is however, that if he was more of a team player we'd not be having these discussions about him.

 

At the Boundary Blues party the kids get a Q&A session with the players and one youngester (probably no older than about 10) actually asked Davies 'whether he was ever going to pass the ball to Hughes'.

 

Says it all really.

[oafc0000]

Absolutely agree 100%.

 

Until Davies removes the chip off his shoulder and actually passes the ball to Hughes (when he's unmarked and screaming for the ball), he's not gonna get anywhere.

 

His nose has been well out of joint ever since Hughes started bagging, cos he's not the one receiving the plaudits.

 

I think the lad has ability in abundance and COULD be a very very useful/important player for us - the harsh reality is however, that if he was more of a team player we'd not be having these discussions about him.

 

At the Boundary Blues party the kids get a Q&A session with the players and one youngester (probably no older than about 10) actually asked Davies 'whether he was ever going to pass the ball to Hughes'.

 

Says it all really.

 

Is this the same guy with a chip that praised Hughes in a recent article ?? Just wondering like.....

Edited January 14, 2008 by oafc0000

[danoafc]

Is this the same guy with a chip that praised Hughes in a recent article ?? Just wondering like.....

 

 

Yeah, absolutely the same guy.

 

Not that I understand what that has to do with anything. I mean, what would you expect him to say when asked? "Nah, he's a murdering ginger scumbag who none of the lads like, and he's nabbed my thunder to boot"?

 

Get real.

 

The pair of them are NOT playing like a partnership. I can understand him wanting to score to end his barren period, course I can, but he needs to swallow his pride, stop going for the 'Hollywood' finish and play for the good of the team.

[Rick]

Yeah, absolutely the same guy.

 

Not that I understand what that has to do with anything. I mean, what would you expect him to say when asked? "Nah, he's a murdering ginger scumbag who none of the lads like, and he's nabbed my thunder to boot"?

 

Get real.

 

The pair of them are NOT playing like a partnership. I can understand him wanting to score to end his barren period, course I can, but he needs to swallow his pride, stop going for the 'Hollywood' finish and play for the good of the team.

 

How about supporting him and shouting encouragement when he flicks on a ball or passes it? Rather than everyone slagging him off and calling him greedy, stupid and other negative comments. They don't do any good.

 

I personally think that Davies has great potential, I am just not sure his future lies at Latics. Would be interesting if Doncaster decided to make an offer.