Davies lays on two goals in England U21s rout

I have always supported Tom Davies. Even when he has not played well, you can see that he is a courageous player. He is not a ‘hider' unlike many of our higher paid players.

With better players around him and one of the finest and most successful midfielder-turned-coach to guide him, he can really become our long-term midfield mainstay. Good luck to the young fella.

If Carlo plays 4-4-2 it's hard to see Davies getting a lot of time on the pitch this season unless we suffer bad injuries (very likely!).

He's so young still and could well have something to offer. I'd be tempted to loan him to a Championship team where he'd hopefully have 30+starts in a regular position at a slightly lower level to really grow his confidence and hone his craft.

It would be good for his development and also give the club a better idea of what he's capable of. Though, as always, getting the right club and manager would be crucial.

@1 Ajay

I have to agree. Courageous indeed. Courage in the face of being booed by thousands of your own ‘supporters'.

This is a kid still learning the game. A central midfield player who because of the deficiencies of those around him is somehow expected to do it all. He'll benefit massively from having better players around him.

He may not be a starter but I do expect him to feature as one of the first considerations in rotation. I think we will see a much improved Davies in terms of output.

We won't see an improvement in attitude or guts because he's always shown that to a high level.

It's been suggested he could be given a chance at right-back because he has the energy to get up and down and is brave enough not to just check back in mid-flow, unlike Seamus has to do because of age etc.

Wait, Moise Kean is in the Italian grown up national squad??!

Sam (2), I disagree that Tom should be loaned out to the Championship or even a lower-tier Premier League club. He will learn and develop much more at Everton under Carlo's coaching and being surrounded by high-quality players like Allan, Doucouré, Rodriguez, an improved Gomes, an injury free Gbamin than playing day in and day out with lesser skill players.

Plus, I do think he has a role to play over the length of the season of 38 games, plus hopefully another 6-8 games in the Cups.

David, Moise is highly rated in Italy. For some reason it hasn't worked out for him here, yet.

I'd give Tom until December to see if he can adapt to the Ancellotti Revolution. After that, he can either stay, be loaned out or sold. It's really up to him to show his worth.

Ajay@6, it's a tricky one. For me he's already had close coaching from Ancelotti and his team for half a season. I believe the lad needs his confidence boosting and maybe a slightly safer space to hone his skills.

Mainly I think footballers between the ages of 18-22 benefit from minutes on the pitch, especially in a regular position and system. 30 matches in a team where he can be the main man would help him a lot in my opinion.

Now that the weight of having to carry the likes of Sigurdsson, Walcott, Delph etc has, or is soon likely to be, removed – I expect Davies to develop into a far better player through having others in the team willing to share the burden, find space and pass and move.

Like others, I can never fathom out why many supporters are willing to jump on Davies yet show infinite patience to others on 4+ times the pay who disappear nearly every match. Is it a case of out of sight out of mind?

Tommy, he's not really a kid, he is 22.

I've always liked his effort and determination, but for me unless Carlos coaching team can work on him I just don't see him as top 6 quality.

Kean is in the Azzurri team not the Azzurrini because Italy currently has very few quality out-and-out strikers. Mancini has basically Immobile (last season's golden boot with 35 goals for Lazio), Bellotti, El Shaarawy and Kean.

Italy has some very interesting mostly young midfielders and playmakers – Insigne, Chiesa, Sensi, Barella, Tonali, Barella, Pellegrini and Zaniolo who all have goals in them – but few strikers.

Kean is seen as having attributes which are different to the others, given his physique and speed. When he came on last night he played as a winger in front of Florenzi as Bosnia had basically a back 6 and Mancini wanted to get around them, rather than pack the box with bodies. This tactic brought Italy the equaliser after Dzeko had scored for Bosnia.

Aidan, also (for Juventus) Kean played mainly wide left enabling him to cut inside and score, or create, quite a few goals with his favoured right foot.

Made up for Tom Davies. I would challenge any player in world football to do a good job in midfield when your ‘help' is Sigurdsson and Schneiderlin, like he has had for most of his career. Plus 5 different managers already.

He's a squad man. He helped us see out the result against Leicester. I also think he would benefit from a season on loan in the Championship.

Let him learn his trade at a stable club, unlike what we have been for him so far. There is a player in there somewhere; time will tell if he is good enough.

Good game for Tom. Showed a good range of passing and worked hard as usual.

I think a loan to the championship for him could be good if he's not going to play regularly but he's a Premier League player and can hopefully continue to learn and improve here whilst being part of the rotation.

We only sell him if we get a price of £18+ M but I have always believed he's been our most consistent midfielder over the last 2 seasons and he will continue to get better.

No, he can not play right-back, not any better than Sigurdsson or Gomes could. Let's not get silly ideas when we are finally buying quality players to improve the team.

Lad needs a consistent run in a new environment for me. A loan to Watford would be ideal and a bit of time away from Everton might do him good. The fans here have lost a bit of faith in him and the Championship might give him some confidence.

Anyone know who is going to play in goal for us today? Pickford, Lössl and Virginia all on international duty.

Aidan (11) – Not sure about your timeline there. Sensi got the Italian equaliser after 67 minutes, and Kean didn't get onto the pitch until the 86th minute.

As for Tom Davies, a lovely bit of movement, skill and dinked cross for the first England goal, but his second “assist” was a horribly scuffed shot-cum-pass that fortuitously found it's way to an unmarked Nketiah.

And that sort of sums up Davies for me, good moments followed by moments lacking quality. I think – if the mooted triple signing happens – Tom Davies needs a season loan. Maybe Newcastle – if the rumours of them being interested in signing him – would be a good destination for this coming season.

I also think it's become something of a received truth on here that Tom Davies never hides, has huge courage, and always shows for the ball.

While I think he has shown more courage and presence than a lot of his (older and more celebrated) colleagues, I am not sure I see a player who deserves that sort of blameless reverence.

He's never reached the same standards as his first season. Now flatters to deceive and probably thinks he is better than he is. Prone to big mistakes through lack of concentration and lack of awareness of what is going on around him.

Hopefully this will show him the standards he needs to achieve on a regular basis. Never like to see any young players leave our club but I think his time is nearly up.

He sets up two goals for his international age level but some of you just want to denigrate him as making lucky stuff ups. Are you sure you actually "support" Everton? Whatever, Mr Ancelotti will have the last word.

Stephen #16, may as well give Sigurdsson a run-out.

I like Davies, I think he's probably better suited going forwards than the defensive role he's been asked to play. He's 22 though, and he needs football, so I'd get him out on loan this season.

Alan (19) - “Are you sure you actually "support" Everton?”

We've covered this so many times on this site, and yet some people seem to really struggle with it.

There are many ways to support a football club. Expecting other people to fall in with how you “support” is impractical and subjective, and suggests that somehow you think you are a better supporter. You are not.

Bit of an extravagant thought... is attacking/creative midfield his best position? As at the top of the midfield diamond maybe? So is that why Rodriguez's move has fallen through? Coz we already have an inhouse player?

Thanks, Andrew (22), and how does that interpret into how you view yourself? Of course, you see criticism of Everton players on international duty as part of your better support? If you've covered it then apply it, to yourself!

I thought Tom Davies looked quite energetic in the time he was on, getting forward much more than he does for us and generally playing further forward.

The first goal he laid on was cleverly worked to make space and a perfect dink. The 2nd assist he was again up in support, making himself available, he passed it to where it needed to go, yeah it looked scuffed and scruffy but nothing to say he didn't mean it.

Alan, it's perfectly normal to support a club but not rate certain players. Good on Tom for his assists; he still has been poor for 3 years for us though.

Alan (24) – I never claimed to be a “better” supporter than you (or anyone else) – I just said that you are not a better supporter than me (or anyone else) just because you are less critical of a certain player. It's fairly basic reading comprehension.

I would never question another poster about whether or not they “actually” support the club just because we have a difference of opinion. Please be open to other schools of thought.

To be fair... he's had some guff around him. With better players he will learn. Box to box is his best position in a midfield 3. Won't start but will be useful from the bench. He has heart, unlike some of our shower.

@ 10, Joe

I have to disagree, Joe. There is definitely a place for him in a top 6 squad and at times, a top 6 team.

There will be injuries, suspensions, losses of form etc and you need someone dependable who can come in and do a job in the midfield then Tom is your man.

He needs to impose more of his personality on a game but I expect this to come with more experience and a level of confidence that he is lacking currently.

If we want to compete in Europe and domestically then there will be plenty of games to go around. Milner has discovered that, Butt, Fortune, O'Shea, Kalou etc etc all valuable squad players who played a lot of games for very successful teams.

Andrew (#27); The word 'supercilious' came to mind; you would never question another poster but you have. Fairly basic self-appraisal!

Goodnight.

Alan. Again, your reading comprehension is all over the shop.

I said “I would never question another poster about whether or not they “actually” support the club just because we have a difference of opinion.”

You can't just read the first six words of that statement and apply them in isolation.

Have I questioned whether or not you actually support Everton Football Club at any point? No, I have not. Basic enough for you?

I would agree Tom has ‘energy' – or rather stamina – which is his great natural talent.

What he lacks is pace/ power and without that he'd be no good at right-back. I already have plenty of memories of him failing to catch-up with an opposition player hindered by running with the ball.

I'd love to know whether he has ever actually been given a personal program of weights and intensive sprint training because there is no evidence in his performances over the last few years that would suggest it. Maybe the fitness experts at the club prefer to wait for his strength to improve naturally?

He is in a sub-group of players l would like to see get some opportunities with our new recruits, to see whether a redistribution of specific responsibilities can improve those who have been required to play outside their natural comfort zone.

Tom has intangibles to burn. Always has.

But, he's not athletic enough and won't be.

John #9

Hits the nail on the head regarding Tom Davies.

There is no doubt that a lot has been asked of the young man but I feel he will really come on now.

Tom's apparently "stand-out" performance for England U21s poses a few interesting questions.

Firstly, if he is a "stand-out" at this level, but is not good enough for the Premier League, does that mean that none of his teammates in the England U21 squad will make the grade either?

Or, secondly, if all of the England U21s are good enough, why are Tom's performances for Everton so often criticised?

As has been suggested here and elsewhere, the answer to the second question could well be that, in the England U21 team, he is surrounded and supported by better players than he is at Everton, and therefor his skills are better used.

Now that we will see a supposedly much more dynamic and skilful midfield set-up at Everton this coming season (assuming all three of the targets are signed), we may also see Tom shine for us as he does for the U21s?

I, for one, certainly hope so.