Everton's Tom Davies reacts to first-team disappointment with stirring u-23s displayDavies had hoped to be named in senior squad for Swansea gameThere is no better way Tom Davies could have reacted.
He admits he was disappointed not to have been in the Everton squad to face Swansea at Goodison but did all that was in his power: produce a stand-out performance for the under-23s.
And that he did.
The 18-year-old was part of a midfield axis with Liam Walsh that drove the young Blues to victory in their top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City on Sunday.
They won 1-0, thanks to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s crisp volley, but it was Davies and Walsh and Jonjoe Kenny who produced the “top performances” that David Unsworth spoke about afterwards.
For the u-23s at least, this was Davies’ best display of the season as he bossed and owned the midfield battle with City’s slick and skilful side.
The game-plan was to press, harass and be aggressive when the visitors had the ball and in this Davies was as good as anyone on the pitch.
He played with the same spirit and fire he did in the latter part of last season when he began knocking on the first-team door before his breakthrough came in April.
Davies’ reward for that was to be made a member of the senior squad this term but has made just three appearances under Ronald Koeman, all off the bench, and for a combined total of less than 45 minutes.
His last cameo was his best, as he came on at Chelsea and raced into the lead as Everton’s best player on the day in just the 25 minutes he played.
And with Gareth Barry suspended for the visit of Swansea on Saturday, there was a feeling it may have earned him a starting place - or at least one in the dugout.
But Davies got neither.
“It is disappointing but maybe it’s the manager maybe not thinking I’m ready or he has a different idea,” he said.
“I’ll just keep patient, keep playing and hopefully get another chance sometime soon. But if not I’ll just keep working hard and see what happens.”
In a recent interview, Ronald Koeman acknowledged that Davies is “developing good” but stressed that he and the rest of Everton’s youngsters needed to remain “patient”.
“I understand that and I understand where he’s coming from,” Davies said
“I’ve just got to keep working hard and progressing to get another chance.”
“He’s told me to keep going,” the teenager added.
“I’m with the first-team all the time now (in training) and I’m getting my game time here (with the u-23s). I’m happy with how I’m doing and I think he can see that I am progressing.
“It was a good experience to come on at Chelsea and it’s great to play for the first-team, even if it wasn’t one of the games I’d like to remember (because of the result).
“But I enjoyed it, I just want to keep getting more opportunities.
“The manager likes his midfielders to press which is something I’m good at and feel like I can add more going forward as well.
“It is something I enjoy doing but I just need to keep working on my game, keep learning from the players in training and the games I play in and, hopefully, I’ll get another chance soon.”
Many more performances of the calibre he produced against City and Koeman will feel compelled to give him another opportunity.
Liv Echo
