The Resurgence of Tom Davies at Everton
Written by Luke Reid
Tom Davies has had limited chances since Marco Silva took over at Everton. With midfield injuries mounting, Davies has returned to the starting XI and looking to keep his place moving forward.
Tom Davies was a player many thought to be on the periphery of the Everton team at the start of the season. Playing just 21 minutes between February and late September it seemed his role would be limited to one of squad rotation, rather than the key asset he is quickly becoming. I looked into reasons why the youngster helps improve the side as well as his own areas of improvement.
Davies Is a Forward-Thinking Player
First and foremost, Davies is a forward-thinking player. Unlike that of Schneiderlin, Delph and to an extent Gomes, the number 26’s first instinct is to be positive in possession, rather than the aforementioned names, who often seem to take the option of sideways or backward passes.
In effect, this outlook allows the team to transition much quicker into attack, as his one-touch football helps to break down the shape an opposition may be set into. Although this may not translate into Davies being the one registering the most assists for the team, it does ensure that dangerous attacks take place; and we have seen more of them in recent weeks.
What complements the potential creativity of forward-thinking players is off the ball movement of others. Players with intelligence, who are aware of where space is on the pitch, increase the options available of someone who is being positive in possession, as anyone who plays football knows.
This is where a partnership with Alex Iwobi could prove to be pivotal, should Silva choose to deploy the Nigerian as an attacking midfielder. In short spells we have seen this to be the case, such as in the West Ham game, where neat interplay was apparent, with Iwobi dropping into lines between the midfield and defense and being difficult to mark, instead of the tedious side to side football, which has occurred far too often under Marco’s reign.
A Range of Passing
Tom Davies also has the ability to provide defense-splitting through balls, particularly useful against low block defences. He has showcased this skill in recent weeks, most notably against Spurs, and it is a skill sorely lacking in the squad. With the right personnel, Davies is hopefully encouraged to utilise this asset on a frequent basis, as the likes of Theo Walcott and (hopefully soon) Moise Kean can benefit greatly from this with their pace and runs in behind.
Risk-Taking Is Part of His Game
What comes with positivity in possession, however, is risk. There is no doubt the midfielder is guilty of surrendering the ball more than others, but this shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a negative at this stage. Provided Davies learns from his mistakes, by knowing when to be positive and conservative on the ball (which can only be done through a prolonged run in the side), his presence in the side can only be beneficial.
The academy product is not solely limited to skills in possession, however. On many occasions we have seen the tenacious, aggressive side to his game which is duly appreciated by all Everton fans, adding much-needed bite to Everton’s often soft approach. His energy levels are also admirable as he is seemingly able to work tirelessly for the majority of the game.
That being said, there are aspects that could be improved upon within the defensive aspects of the game. Davies will often press in situations which leave the defence more exposed due to space behind that he has just vacated. On occasion this does work, but against better opposition his defenders may be left unprotected when trying to cover multiple passing lanes, as the opposition is able to either dribble round him or pick out the right pass. But again, with more game time, this is an area from which he can easily learn.
With Everton up against Norwich next, it would seem the perfect opportunity for Davies to showcase his offensive capabilities due to the Canaries expansive playing style which can only help in furthering the youngster’s development.
Be sure to give me a follow on Twitter @lukereid1878 Love talking about in-depth analysis on players across Europe.
Check out my our post on Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Moise Kean.
As always, make sure you follow us on Twitter @ToffeeTargets for more up to date Everton transfer news.
Originally published at https://toffeetargets.com on November 13, 2019.
