Davies on form dips: “I think I've largely lived up to expectations.”

In an interview published in the Monday print edition of Germany’s preeminent footballing publication, FC Bayern München left-back Alphonso Davies spoke on his recent form slump and plans for the future. 

Canadian fullback Alphonso Davies has learned to keep a low media profile since an interview this summer left him in hot water with his current club. The 23-year-old remains a highly-regarded footballer (he maintains a €70-million estimated market worth in the latest transfermarkt listings), yet has unquestionably lost some of his luster this season amid outgoing transfer links and criticism from his head-coach Thomas Tuchel.

Tuchel has twice left Davies unused on his bench in league encounters this season. The 44-times-capped international entered this weekend’s fixture against Augsburg with only three assists to his credit in 25 appearances across all competitions. Tuchel granted him a start above Raphaël Guerreiro only by virtue of the fact that an injury to Konrad Laimer forced Guerreiro to fill in at right-back.

Davies made the most of his opportunity and netted his first league goal of the season in Bayern’s 3-2 win over the Fuggerstädter. The timing proved nearly perfect as Germany’s preeminent footballing publication had been preparing a large interview piece on Davies for its Monday print edition. In the latest edition of “Kicker Magazine” to hit the newsstands, Davies commented on his purported form regression.

“Nobody really had me on their radar in 2020,” Davies said of the time when Bayern spotted one of the first players to serve as a product of football’s data revolution, “I was a relatively unknown quantity and I delivered. After that, the expectations of me were naturally higher.”

“I think I’ve lived up to [those expectations] on the whole,” Davies continued, “but of course not always and not in every game. There are very few players who really always manage to do that during their career.”

Davies spoke on the joys of the historic six-trophy-year under former FCB trainer Hansi Flick in the 2020/21 cycle, emphasizing that (contrary to previous statements) he wasn’t terribly disappointed to have been converted from an attacking winger to a left fullback. Davies even said that he appreciated the chance to refine his game at the back.

“My style of play has changed a little since then,” Davies said, “A little less trickery, a little less dribbling, a little less risk. But I understand other things better today than I did four years ago and naturally have more experience now.”

“I feel very comfortable here,” Davies concluded when asked about transfer rumors, “I play on an incredible team at one of the absolute top clubs in Europe. I stay focused and give everything for the team and our fans.”

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