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Opinion: Davis Has To Start The Derby

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Image for Opinion: Davis Has To Start The Derby

After the initial giggles had died down after it was confirmed that Aston Villa had been relegated to the Championship, the long awaited fixture list was released and at the end of this month we see the return of the second city derby. It is still a couple of weeks off yet, but I’m sure it will be on the players and fans minds as we head into the next couple of games.

Injuries are never a good thing and I wouldn’t want that to happen to any of our players no matter when the game is played or who it is against. But every player will want to play in the derby and will be doing their best to impress in the next couple of games in order to secure a starting spot. The reason I mention injuries, is that players can over do it trying to impress and the sense of importance may get too much.

For me, derby matches are never the prettiest in terms of football and I don’t think they should be. If I had to compare the term derby matches, it would be to Robbie Savage. Not pretty on the eye, but not afraid to get stuck in and if a fight happens, then so be it. All of our morals about footballers seem to go out of the window when it comes to derby games as the atmosphere takes over and the pride for whichever set of fans take home the points is at stake.

Due to this, I would love to see Davis start. Being a local boy, he knows what this derby means more than anyone. But he is also that type of player who will get stuck in. It’s almost as if he is a fan who has won a competition to be there but actually finds he is talented, like we all our in our dreams. Davis is a brilliant tackler but he is not shy and will not back down from any challenge. This adds a bit of smoke to the fire which is needed to get the adrenaline going of all the team mates and the crowd.

He is also great at breaking up play and this is a real skill to have as most players do not have the awareness or concentration in which to succeed at playing this role. I think he will frustrate the Villa forwards by doing this and in turn, spoil Steve Bruce’s big game against the club which we know is still his favourite in Birmingham; the Blues’.

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