Ex-Player Thread Ben Davies

[Northstandboy]

 

[RgYellows]

There was a (laughable, at the time) rumour that Roosken was brought in basically to babysit a homesick Brian De Keersmaecker (his best friend). Almost to secure the latter's future with us.

I wouldn't like to give it any credence, but it's curious that Roosken's disappearance has coincided with the end to BDK's season - almost like the babysitter role in the squad is no longer needed.

It does seem ridiculous - but perhaps no more so than spending January budget on signing a new Left Back when the incumbent (Currie) is one of our best players, we have a more than able deputy (Leigh) on the books, and even then the (seemingly preferred) options of using Spencer or Brown there.

Especially when we could have used that money to sign an eighth right back.

I’d love to know what conditions we inserted into that loan deal if they’ve already been triggered. On what planet do you loan a player for six months and agree to make it permanent if he actually has to play a game?

 

[ubermeistervonmeat]

Given the impact Dembele made last season with those two late season 1-0 winners I'm really surprised he wasn't in the 25. He's not done enough over all - along with a fair few others - but he's proved he can be a match winner and we have nowhere near enough of those. Leigh too, he's weighed in with some crucial Championship goals. Chuck Davies in the pot too and there some decent players there who could be making an impact. Leigh or Roosken ? Dembele or Emakhu ? Davies or Makosso even ? Not sure any of these are upgrades to be honest.

Absolutely and another big reason why we should take great care and give a great deal of thought to whether MB really is the man to lead us next season if we are in L1 (as well as questions that should be asked about others in the hierarchy) - some very decent players who seem to have wandered into the Bermuda Triangle

 

[CaptainOx]

Especially when we could have used that money to sign an eighth right back.

I’d love to know what conditions we inserted into that loan deal if they’ve already been triggered. On what planet do you loan a player for six months and agree to make it permanent if he actually has to play a game?

Suspect it was a way to basically ensure a permanent deal but with time against us on deadline day, they got it done as a loan.

 

[Osleroad]

Davies is a good player but if you want consistency then if his minutes are limited - play one: miss three then it's easy to see how things may not play out in his favour. As cover it was reasonable but who knows what else lies behind it.

 

[Northstandboy]

Signs. 2 year deal at Bolton!

 

[90syeIlow]

Signs. 2 year deal at Bolton!

I bet he will be used properly and do well there.

 

[Chris on a Bike]

Assuming he can stay fit that's a good signing

 

[Royalstandard74]

Is he any good?

 

[greatunclekip]

In honesty he didn’t put a foot wrong here.

 

[werthersoriginal]

In honesty he didn’t put a foot wrong here.

He was good when he played, I can only assume he was often unfit

 

[90syeIlow]

He was good when he played, I can only assume he was often unfit

This is likely to be a valid point, but how often was he an unused sub for us?

 

[holdsteady]

Wasn’t the rumour that he was rather forthright in his opinions about the management team while here?

 

[90syeIlow]

Wasn’t the rumour that he was rather forthright in his opinions about the management team while here?

Really?

 

[holdsteady]

Really?

Remember reading it on here.

 

[90syeIlow]

Remember reading it on here.

It's definitely not true then.

 

[Osleroad]

Are Bolton going for the Oxford Rejects Badge of Honour?

 

[holdsteady]

It's definitely not true then.

Who knows? Was a strange signing/season from him, has to be some reason for the fact that he found it harder to get into the team than his performances warranted.

 

[unification]

I could kind of follow GR’s reasoning when we first signed Davies that he hadn’t played much, hadn’t had a proper pre-season as he was with the bomb squad at Rangers and that we had to manage his minutes.

However, that didn’t mean we basically had to shun him for the majority of games. An odd signing all round, in truth.

 

[tonyw]

I could kind of follow GR’s reasoning when we first signed Davies that he hadn’t played much, hadn’t had a proper pre-season as he was with the bomb squad at Rangers and that we had to manage his minutes.

However, that didn’t mean we basically had to shun him for the majority of games. An odd signing all round, in truth.

We got ourselves into a position where we had four perfectly capable Championship-level Centre Backs (Makosso was also a good player) for two spots, but barely had four Championship-level forwards in total (and this is after playing the first half of the season with just three contracted central midfielders full stop).

Last season was not an example of sensible squad construction!

 

[Paul Cannell]

Last season was not an example of sensible squad construction!

That there is good old English understatement.

 

[Followtheox1]

He was good when he played, I can only assume he was often unfit

He was ok, quite slow. I do think how well he played is a bit overstated by some in my view.

 

[Marked Ox]

He was ok, quite slow. I do think how well he played is a bit overstated by some in my view.

He was ok, maybe better with a different type of partner at the back.

 

[Joey]

He was maybe a little slow but a very good player who we should have used more. Probably a fair argument that him and Makosso would have been a better partnership than Helik and Brown, Makosso the quickest of the lot and Davies the best on the ball. I don't think he was any worse a defender either, he's fine for a team around the bottom half of the league.

 

[Common Villager]

I thought he looked good whenever he played. Still haven't been able to work out why he didn't get more game time.