Super Steven Davis

[Antrimsaint]

Have to say it, he gets a lot of stick from time to time from saints fans but watching him tonight for NI he was a boss. Absolutely ran the show. So glad we have such a player. I'm afraid if he isn't foreign sounding we tend to write off our own.

 

I'm going to call him Stephan Daviesto from now on.

 

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[doddisalegend]

Have to say it, he gets a lot of stick from time to time from saints fans but watching him tonight for NI he was a boss. Absolutely ran the show. So glad we have such a player. I'm afraid if he isn't foreign sounding we tend to write off our own.

 

I'm going to call him Stephan Daviesto from now on.

 

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only from a few numpties great player for us over the last few seasons.

[Shance]

I don't see him get any stick tbh. Brilliant player for us and an absolute bargain. The only thing he needs to improve is his finishing.

[VectisSaint]

I don't see him get any stick tbh. Brilliant player for us and an absolute bargain. The only thing he needs to improve is his finishing.

Guess you have Derry and Verlaine on ignore then.

[RonManager]

He was absolutely supreme tonight. I know it was 'only San Marino' but they played 11 man defence and that takes some getting through. Davis' vision, skill and all round direction of his team mates was a joy to behold, and as for his set up for the final goal, pure skill. Bravo Sir, Bravo!

[Lord Duckhunter]

One of the best signings the past 40 years . Seems like a decent bloke as well . Class act

[New Forest Steve]

One of the best signings the past 40 years . Seems like a decent bloke as well . Class act

 

A bold claim but I wouldn't disagree. He might not be captain but he's a leader on the pitch and his workrate is phenomenal

[Dig Dig]

Brilliant player. Every manager we've had since he signed has thought so as well.

[Micky]

One of the best signings the past 40 years . Seems like a decent bloke as well . Class act

Pretty much this. The guy is pure quality. Top pro.

 

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[niceandfriendly]

Doesn't get a lot of stick at all. Excellent signing, very good player.

[austsaint]

Agree with all positive comments about Davo. I love his driving runs from midfield towards the box, his touch and control in tight spaces and his ability to pick out a player in a dangerous position. In many ways as important a player as Morgan was for SFC.

[sambosa75]

Written off by some in the same laughable way Fonte was until a season or teo ago. Because he didn't cost £15m+, he automatically isn't rated. Bit like Yoshida. I can't think of many international defenders with his experience and relatively young age who would be happy being third choice centre back for us.

[david in sweden]

Every team has a tactic that often involves players like Tadic and (formerly Mane) getting much more attention than they actually do of the ball.

 

Steven Davis is rarely out of the action for very long in any of his games. He makes the midfield tick over and turns up all over the place, frequently doubling as an extra defender....(although I'm sure he himself would admit that he ought to have scored more often that he has.... given some of the positions he gets into).

 

If he scored 8-10 goals a season, people would be using that much over-used phrase " world class "..and not without good reason.

He always gets the plaudits in his games for N.I. but few of those same journos write so freely about his contributions to Saints' games.

 

A player whose qualities I have admired since Day One....and who disproves the theory that careers start to go downhill after 30....

[Toomer]

For me he is one of the first name's on the team sheet 8 of 10 performance most games.

[Nordic Saint]

89 caps and 9 goals for Northern Ireland. That's a lot of international experience, which will be very useful in the Europa League. I've never noticed him getting stick at St Mary's He's always seemed to be a fairly popular player, altough players who stay wih us, like Davis and Fonte, are sometimes perceived as beng 'not good enough' for a big club to buy by a mnority of our fans who only seem to prefer the latest buy. Judging from some of the stuff posted here, Boufal is already more popular with them than some of our long-term players like Fonte and Davis. Even Alderweireld is more popluar with them because a big club bought him so fast. Personallly, I prefer the players who stay with us for many years like Davis.

[david in sweden]

89 caps and 9 goals for Northern Ireland. That's a lot of international experience, which will be very useful in the Europa League. I've never noticed him getting stick at St Mary's He's always seemed to be a fairly popular player, altough players who stay wih us, like Davis and Fonte, are sometimes perceived as beng 'not good enough' for a big club to buy by a mnority of our fans who only seem to prefer the latest buy. Judging from some of the stuff posted here, Boufal is already more popular with them than some of our long-term players like Fonte and Davis. Even Alderweireld is more popluar with them because a big club bought him so fast. Personallly, I prefer the players who stay with us for many years like Davis.

 

I agree with a lot of that..... .although there are other (social) factors.. ...in that older players with young-ish families often prefer to " stay put " at one club, where they feel " appreciated " than move on (yet again)....and try their luck in pastures new.

 

Those single " Yuppie players " who only need to move to another flat ..in another city with their girlfriends, and who have eyes on a blossoming international career, with a " big money " club who will pay them £100K /week .....to sit on the bench every match.... may have another viewpoint.

 

The older players whose careers may have " peaked " , look forward to every game with enthusiasm....and although I can't recall if it was Doddsy or Frannie Benali,(nearing the end of their careers) who said it......" even getting selected for a reserve team game ....feels like a Cup Final ".

 

Hopefully, both Davis (and Fonte) still have some mileage in them, but when they eventually finish, they will both be " hard acts to follow ".

[alehouseboys]

I've never noticed him getting stick at St Mary's He's always seemed to be a fairly popular player

 

I'd say you're right, there's 1 or 2 on here that probably don't fully appreciate the value he brings but as for "getting stick" I'd just write that off to the trolls/grizzlers/skates and unlikely to have ever set foot inside St Mary's.

 

As this is more about showing our admiration for the fella then I'll add my appreciation for one of our best ever value signings. Top man.

[Chris27687]

It's very hard to maintain your first team place when the squad is rapidly improving every year - and a real testament to him and Jose's ability and drive.

 

Having said that he's probably got 1 more year after this before he joins the coaching staff - we should definitely be keeping him at the club for a long long time.

[david in sweden]

........it occurs to me that it's not only young footballers that we are developing, but with the likes of Radhi Jaidi, Craig Fleming and Danny Butterfield - (all of whom had long careers in the game) as part of the current coachng staff - and keeping the likes of Kelvin Davis .....(and perhaps eventually Steven Davis and Jose Fonte) at the club.....we may also be helping to bring on the next generations of managers.

[manji]

........it occurs to me that it's not only young footballers that we are developing, but with the likes of Radhi Jaidi, Craig Fleming and Danny Butterfield - (all of whom had long careers in the game) as part of the current coachng staff - and keeping the likes of Kelvin Davis .....(and perhaps eventually Steven Davis and Jose Fonte) at the club.....we may also be helping to bring on the next generations of managers.

Fonte is taking his coaching badges along with Kelvin and I know for a fact he is considered to be a future Saints Manager.

[Lord Duckhunter]

He'll end up managing NI

[verlaine1979]

I'm sure the performance he put in against a team of amateurs ranked 201st in world football was worthy of all this rhapsodizing, but sadly I didn't see the game.

[alehouseboys]

I'm sure the performance he put in against a team of amateurs ranked 201st in world football was worthy of all this rhapsodizing, but sadly I didn't see the game.

 

For most of us it's not about one game against a team of amateurs, more about his consistent contribution to club and country. You didn't need to have seen the game to make that judgement.

[New Forest Steve]

I'm sure the performance he put in against a team of amateurs ranked 201st in world football was worthy of all this rhapsodizing, but sadly I didn't see the game.

 

Although the thread was inspired by the NI game yesterday, I think you'll find the subsequent 'rhapsodising' is for his consistently excellent performances with us.

[verlaine1979]

For most of us it's not about one game against a team of amateurs, more about his consistent contribution to club and country. You didn't need to have seen the game to make that judgement.

 

I've always said he's a consistent 6/10 performer who does lots of things reasonably well and nothing very well - however, he's probably the squad member most easily identified with by the average fan, so I can almost understand why he's put on a pedestal as allegedly one of our best players in four decades, despite the utter mediocrity of his record.

[New Forest Steve]

I've always said he's a consistent 6/10 performer who does lots of things reasonably well and nothing very well - however, he's probably the squad member most easily identified with by the average fan, so I can almost understand why he's put on a pedestal as allegedly one of our best players in four decades, despite the utter mediocrity of his record.

 

Everyones entitled to an opinion. I disagree but looking back through your posting history, it's probably not worth my time arguing the point with you

[Antrimsaint]

Hang on I saw Hoddle wet himself praising Henderson for beating Malta. Thats my point. Davis isnt heralded because he plays for NI and Saints but that third goal last night was a beauty. If Messy scored it would be world class. After van djyk he is second on the teamsheet for me.

Love the guy, bargain, gent and a leader

P.s. Im Norn Irish and therefore biased

Never felt the same way about Chris baird or Colin Clarke though

 

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Edited 9 October, 2016 by Antrimsaint
Spelling

[syd_barrett_saint]

I've always said he's a consistent 6/10 performer who does lots of things reasonably well and nothing very well - however, he's probably the squad member most easily identified with by the average fan, so I can almost understand why he's put on a pedestal as allegedly one of our best players in four decades, despite the utter mediocrity of his record.

 

At some point you'll hopefully come to accept that you've been a bit of a **** when it comes to your tiresome and persistent criticism of Davis on here. It's almost like you've become a parody of yourself.

 

 

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[hughieslastminutegoal]

Hang on I saw Hoddle wet himself praising Henderson for beating Malta. Thats my point. Davis isnt heralded because he plays for NI and Saints but that third goal last night was a beauty. If Messy scored it would be world class. After van djyk he is second on the teamsheet for me.

Love the guy, bargain, gent and a leader

P.s. Im Norn Irish and therefore biased

Never felt the same way about Chris baird or Colin Clarke though

 

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Seriously, can anyone claim a goal scored against San Marino is world class?

He's a tidy and very useful player, but in the Euros his final game was no more than ok. Busy, collecting a short pass and giving a short pass. Essential that someone does this shuttling job, but let's not go over the top about him being a Messi.

[New Forest Steve]

Seriously, can anyone claim a goal scored against San Marino is world class?

He's a tidy and very useful player, but in the Euros his final game was no more than ok. Busy, collecting a short pass and giving a short pass. Essential that someone does this shuttling job, but let's not go over the top about him being a Messi.

 

... but he did say that he was biased

[verlaine1979]

At some point you'll hopefully come to accept that you've been a bit of a **** when it comes to your tiresome and persistent criticism of Davis on here. It's almost like you've become a parody of yourself.

 

 

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Listen, if this forum didn't produce an ocean of jizz every time Davis completes a five yard no pressure pass back into defence, I'd be happy to let the matter rest. As it is, someone has to speak out against the madness.

[Horley CTFC Saint]

He's the modern day Nick Holmes

[St_Tel49]

Seriously, can anyone claim a goal scored against San Marino is world class?

He's a tidy and very useful player, but in the Euros his final game was no more than ok. Busy, collecting a short pass and giving a short pass. Essential that someone does this shuttling job, but let's not go over the top about him being a Messi.

 

Seriously- yes you can. It doesn't matter who the opposition was there is no doubt that the 4th goal demonstrated his cleverness on the ball in setting up Kyle Laverty for a simple finish. Like Malta, San Merino defended like trojans until they tired. NI had similar problems against them as England had against Malta

[The9]

Written off by some in the same laughable way Fonte was until a season or teo ago. Because he didn't cost £15m+, he automatically isn't rated. Bit like Yoshida. I can't think of many international defenders with his experience and relatively young age who would be happy being third choice centre back for us.

 

Weird. Just weird.

 

Davis has always been rated by a fair few. Fonte has always been rated by practically everyone. Yoshida... yes, his commitment to being paid loads for not playing much is to be commended.

[The9]

Seriously, can anyone claim a goal scored against San Marino is world class?

 

If I beat the Sammarinese keeper from 60 yards I'd be bloody well insisting it was, whether they were closing the ball down or not.

[david in sweden]

He's the modern day Nick Holmes

 

Good comparison.

Nick Holmes - one of the few Sotonians to have captained the side, and not the only schoolboy to have come through St.Mary's College ....and into Saints' first team.

 

A natural left-footed player with skill to spare. Nick played many roles from full back to emergency striker in more than 500 appearances for Saints (1973-87) and a player who rarely missed a game and who was also a member of the 1976 FA Cup winning side.

Those Saints fans who saw him play will confirm that a few of his 64 goals could certainly be classed as " worldies ". A few featured on You Tube games from that period.

 

A succession of injuries finally curtailed his career ...at the age of 33. Coached a bit with Saints before moving to Florida, but later returned to manage Salisbury, and took them from regional obscurity into the Conference and even into the second round of the FA Cup, where they took Notts Forest to two games before losing the tie.

 

Perhaps only Nick's natural modesty kept him from going further in management as he once admitted he "wasn't tough enough" to be a football manager. Nice fellow.

[SuperSAINT]

http://www.colerainetimes.co.uk/sport/football/opinion-lafferty-s-the-hero-but-davis-is-the-real-master-1-7621365?

[S-Clarke]

verlaine1979 reminds me of toe_punt, so strong and dedicated in his thoughts on Mane (not good enough, non-league quality, worst player since ali dia). Funnily enough, he vanished as soon as Mane started playing, well, like Mane.

 

Fingers crossed verlaine1979 can **** off soon as well.

[Saint Garrett]

Absolute top player, as others have said, if he could score 10+ a season he'd be up there with Gerrard and Lampard. Unfortunately his shooting lets him down, but he links the play so well. Has had a bit of a poor start of the season by his standards but its a new position for him, he loves getting in those gaps between defence and DM of the oppo. One of the first teams on the team sheet.

[Antrimsaint]

http://www.colerainetimes.co.uk/sport/football/opinion-lafferty-s-the-hero-but-davis-is-the-real-master-1-7621365?

Nice little write up that. All true as well. Hope he can get a kick against Germany.

 

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[New Forest Steve]

Good comparison.

Nick Holmes - one of the few Sotonians to have captained the side, and not the only schoolboy to have come through St.Mary's College ....and into Saints' first team.

 

A natural left-footed player with skill to spare. Nick played many roles from full back to emergency striker in more than 500 appearances for Saints (1973-87) and a player who rarely missed a game and who was also a member of the 1976 FA Cup winning side.

Those Saints fans who saw him play will confirm that a few of his 64 goals could certainly be classed as " worldies ". A few featured on You Tube games from that period.

 

A succession of injuries finally curtailed his career ...at the age of 33. Coached a bit with Saints before moving to Florida, but later returned to manage Salisbury, and took them from regional obscurity into the Conference and even into the second round of the FA Cup, where they took Notts Forest to two games before losing the tie.

 

Perhaps only Nick's natural modesty kept him from going further in management as he once admitted he "wasn't tough enough" to be a football manager. Nice fellow.

Now I'm really stretching my memory but I remember Ian Baird who was a year below me at St Marys (we used to throw him down the banks). Not sure if he played first team for us but he certainly did for Leeds.

 

Don't really remember Nick Holmes as having 'skill to spare' but more a hard working, solid Milner type. What he lacked in natural talent he more than made up for by being versatile and always up for it. Good player tho' and with a mentally hard shot on him which was where a lot of his goals came from.

[verlaine1979]

verlaine1979 reminds me of toe_punt, so strong and dedicated in his thoughts on Mane (not good enough, non-league quality, worst player since ali dia). Funnily enough, he vanished as soon as Mane started playing, well, like Mane.

 

Fingers crossed verlaine1979 can **** off soon as well.

 

Why so uptight? All I ever say about him is that he's an average, 6 out of 10 player who has been elevated by members of this forum into something special for reasons that probably don't bear very close scrutiny.

 

By and large, every other player in our squad is viewed with a reasonable degree of perspective. Opinions differ, but usually within a margin of difference that bears scrutiny. Davis is really the only player where that isn't the case, hence the fact that I keep banging on about it. For the last four years I've seen a player who tries hard, does simple things as well as you'd expect simple things to be done, and maybe two or three times a season he'll come up with a goal or a game-changing pass. However, on here, he's gone from being the most underrated player in the league, to one of our best players of the last forty years. Quite an elevation for someone who rarely scores, rarely assists and who can't seem to run more than about five yards without instinctively wanting to turn back and offload to a defender. I have a few theories as to why that is, but if you're this angry simply at the fact that I disagree with you about his qualities, I can't imagine how incandescent with rage you'd be if you knew *why* I suspect you think that way...

[VectisSaint]

Why so uptight? All I ever say about him is that he's an average, 6 out of 10 player who has been elevated by members of this forum into something special for reasons that probably don't bear very close scrutiny.

More likely your obsession with rubbishing Davis. Hardly ever is he "elevated to something special" on this forum by anyone, occasionally he gets decent reviews when he has played well. But you obsess by posting mostly unwarranted criticism of him whenever his name appears in a post.

[verlaine1979]

More likely your obsession with rubbishing Davis. Hardly ever is he "elevated to something special" on this forum by anyone, occasionally he gets decent reviews when he has played well. But you obsess by posting mostly unwarranted criticism of him whenever his name appears in a post.

 

Dude, just scroll up thread. In case you can't be bothered... "One of the best signings the past 40 years", "as important a player as Morgan was for SFC", "8 of 10 performance most games", "if he could score 10+ a season he'd be up there with Gerrard and Lampard". This kind of nonsense gets spouted constantly, and every week at least a handful of people claim that he's had a great game, even if he's been abject. In all the years I've wasted on this site, I can't remember another player so immune to criticism.

[ScepticalStan]

Verlaine is absolutely on point on this one and the fact that he never *actually* rubbishes Davis, but instead, just points out that he's an average player who has his uses, has his flaws but is ultimately, a mid-table player really just proves his point.

 

Its a bit like being in a radical Muslim country. If you say that the Prophet Muhammed wasn't the messenger of God but seemed like a good bloke and a nice chap, you'll have your head chopped off for denying his divinity. Similar on here with Steven Davis.

 

My favourite moment from the Davis-worship brigade was during our goalless spell in 2014-2015 when I pointed out that it wasn't all the fault of Pelle, and that we didn't have enough goals coming from midfield, and wouldn't it be nice if that wasn't that case? Perhaps we could buy an attacking midfielder in the summer?

 

I was then slated by people who said that if Saints were to make the top 4, it would be 'because we had players like Steven Davis playing out of their skin'.

 

That's right. On here, you'll actually get slated for even wishing for a better player in AM than Davis.

 

Again, it takes a religious tone. "Thou shalt not covet a better attacking-midfielder than Steven Davis".

[doddisalegend]

Well his international manager rates him

 

http://www.ballymenatimes.com/sport/football/northern-ireland-steve-is-my-captain-fantastic-1-7621333

[ScepticalStan]

Well his international manager rates him

 

http://www.ballymenatimes.com/sport/football/northern-ireland-steve-is-my-captain-fantastic-1-7621333

 

Psh, I rate him too. Just not to the absurd extent that a lot of Saints fans seem to (which, I hasten to add, absolutely isn't the fault of Steven Davis himself).

[St_Tel49]

I've always said he's a consistent 6/10 performer who does lots of things reasonably well and nothing very well - however, he's probably the squad member most easily identified with by the average fan, so I can almost understand why he's put on a pedestal as allegedly one of our best players in four decades, despite the utter mediocrity of his record.

 

I very much doubt that SD will break his heart over your opinion of him. Neither will I.

[Foxstone]

Outstanding player for us, and a real "leader" on the pitch too..

 

Invaluable to our squad.

[david in sweden]

Now I'm really stretching my memory but I remember Ian Baird who was a year below me at St Marys .....

(we used to throw him down the banks). Not sure if he played first team for us but he certainly did for Leeds.

 

Don't really remember Nick Holmes as having 'skill to spare' but more a hard working, solid Milner type. What he lacked in natural talent he more than made up for by being versatile and always up for it. Good player tho' and with a mentally hard shot on him which was where a lot of his goals came from.

 

 

this is an era, I do remember

.......Ian Baird was one of those up-and-coming youngsters, (along with Martin Foyle and David Puckett) in the early/mid 1980's during the McMenemy's period when we had 5 former England captains in /out of the squad in a few years, and Saints even finished runner-ups to Liverpool in the old Div 1 set-up (read Prem.)

 

Along with others (mentioned above), Ian had a tough job getting past the likes of the in-form Steve Moran and veteran strikers like Frank Worthington and Joe Jordan.

 

However, Baird did get few games and managed 5 goals in 21 games before being shipped out to Leeds. (I think there were "personality issues" involved ?).

Don't know that he would have made the first team as a regular, but HDAJF Leeds ...for a while, but then seemed to move to a new club every season.

 

as many others, a bad injury finally finished his League career, but think he was still involved with a few local clubs ..and even managed Eastleigh (?) at one time.