Coyle will play 4-4-2. Where will Davies fit into that?

An assumption that we'll play every game 4-4-2 regardless? No squad rotation to suit games? No substitutions to suit what's needed? Wow, we're in trouble already.

Davies is a premier league player, if we sell him say for 6million Coyle will probably bring in 2 or 3 players that could help get us promoted but those players may not good enough for the premiership. We need to look at the long run, we need to keep as many of our players as possible if we want any chance in staying in the premier league if we come back up

Ok TD but assuming as most do that it's 4-4-2 the majority of the time, which given Coyles history is a fair assumption to make, will Davies play enough games to warrant turning down 6M for him? He'd have to be a first choice and major part of a very successful team to do that. And I'm asking where does he fit into that?

I'd drive him there myself for £6m.

I think he's a decent player but will he have £6m's worth of impact on our season? No. Looking at our centre midfield, we've got Holden, Keith, Pratley and maybe Muamba. I think there's enough there to warrant getting another back-up centre midfielder and spending say £4m on getting another centre half in.

On the one hand I agree with your sentiment, £6M+ and we should sell him. On the other hand I was a lil bit over optimistic at our squad last year...a midfield of Muamba, NRC, Holden, Mavies, Chungy, Petrov, an ex-ManUtd winger, a freebie from Swansea and a Chelski kid on loan sounded great. When you say Holden (if fit), Keith Andrews, Pratley and Muamba (bit of a long shot) we're relying on no injuries in centre mid. I suppose as we're not in the EPL we'll be able to actually play some kids this season!?

Appreciate the feedback there W_o_T - I am genuinely interested in the opinion of someone who has seen him play a few times, as opposed to seeing him hit a couple of long range shots in Euro 2012. Hope he works out for us.

Ball at feet, Mark Davies is the best we have.

Played in the right formation and position he will shine. If not, he's likely to go missing in games.

If a 4-4-2 works without him, fine, if not, push up and stick him behind the striker. Unfortunately,we talk about 6m like it's a fortune. In reality, he already plays for us and if he's actually worth that and on the books at what we can afford to pay him, why part with him? We know he's a decent player. What we don't know is how Chungy and Holden are fitness wise and have they retained their ability full scale, orif our new signings will do the trick. Till we do know, parting with good players seems a bad move right now. Wait till next transfer window, for me.

Exactly. You sell a player who will likely shine in the Championship and who do you replace him with? You can't just go out and buy someone else who will also shine in a lesser league because that calibre of player is at a higher level and won't come to where we are right now. To replace Davies, we'd likely sign a couple of £1m players, probably who are already in the Championship, and if we get promoted, they'll need to be replaced because they're not Premier League quality.

On the face of it, £6m for Davies is good money. However, are we in a position to buy a suitable replacement? I don't think we are. If we were still in the Premier League, we could sell him for £6m and buy someone as good for around the same sort of money but we can't attract those players now.

I think the best way to get back up is to avoid selling players. What clubs should avoid is taking 'good' offers for short term financial gain. £6m is good money for Davies but firstly, he may be more important than £6m next season and secondly, if we do sell him, we aren't going to be replacing him with someone as good.

Personally, I'd keep him even though £6m is probably an accurate valuation.

Sound argument that TD. I guess the issue arises if Liverpool bid 6M for him and he says he wants out. Keep an unhappy player? One thing turning down bids from lower Prem sides but for a player like Mark Davies a Liverpool bid of decent size would be difficult to tuen down.

6M may not be loads but it was more than we paid for Cahill and almost as much as we got Anelka for as an example. For a player who has had literally a handful of good games for us and gone missing for the rest and isn't a guaranteed first choice it's crazy money really.

Indeed. We could all pretend that we'll play a formation that he's best suited to, and that he would turn down a serious offer from a club like Liverpool. Would prefer to keep, but lets be honest, if its true, he's off, and £6m wouldn't be that bad.

I can see alll the logic, though I'd prefer we kept him & abandoned Coyle & his 4-4-2 fixation, but that's not going to happen.

But I disagree that £6m is good money. In these days it just ain't for a contracted player.

I also don't think he's outstanding enough to warrant a team being built around him. Irrespective of the ongoing 4-4-2 debate.

This. At this moment in time Davies is less effective than Eagles in many games.....

He doesn't look like ever being someone who could get 15 goals a season from midfield which really is what you need from your attacking midfield player in that sort of system.

And 6M is good value for a player who could well be sat on a championship teams bench next season!

Calm down. How many midfielders get that? Not nearly as many as successful teams play 4-2-3-1.

Davies is a good player, potentially much better, with age on his side and a long contract on ours. I'd rather not sell him but I would if we were offered £60m so as ever it's just haggling. I'd be very tempted to test the resolve of Liverpool (operating as they are without much of a upper management structure) and their shiny new manager. £8m sounds about right to me.

£8m? are you crackers?

we'll sell him for a £2.5m offer + clauses. Guaranteed.

He appears to be taking on an Andranik like status at the moment.

Surely if you've seen him play enough times recent and genuinely rate him as a player, that's just an honest opinion? People overrated Andranik because he never played.



I don't understand the point you're trying to make here.

Coyle will play 4-4-2, he'll also quite happily play Mark Davies in a 4-4-2, as he did numerous times last season.

You will need a ball winner or some such in there so one of Andrews or Pratley if Pratley is classed as that. Then they will probably be partnered with Holden if fit. Vela has been promised games too. I'm not sure as it stands Mark Davies is in our first eleven under that system. Lots of ifs but my point was 6M is a lot for someone who might well not start at Burnley in August!