I started watching the USMNT regularly during the 2010 World Cup, so I don't have any real knowledge of earlier years. By the time I came onto the scene, Davies had already had his accident and was in the process of recovering. There were lots of optimistic articles written at the time and his return for DC United (I think he scored 2-3 goals in his first game back) made it seem like anything was possible, but unfortunately with the benefit of hindsight it seems like CD never really got back to his best. With that in mind, how good was he at his peak? How good of a player do you think he would've become? Obviously it's pure conjecture since he was relatively young and we'll never know how much he would've improved, but did he seem destined for a big club in the Premier League or do you think he would've had a more mediocre European career like Jozy and Wood?
He fit the national team really well and his speed was a problem that forced teams to deal with us differently. It's hard to say if he would have translated that into goals, but there's little doubt he would have created more time and space for other creative players.
It's hard to believe, but his goal vs Egypt in the Confed Cup was in June of 2009 and his car accident was in October. He was excellent for us during that time, but it was only a handful of games. At club level he really only had one good season(in Sweden) so it's tough to extrapolate too much. Personally, I think he could have played at Premier League level eventually, but unfortunately we never found out. Is he on anyone's MLS preseason roster right now? Or out of the game?
Oh what could have been. I feel like the US has had too many what could have been players if not for injuries etc . To this day I still think about the Davies and Donovan counter attack goal vs Brazil. Was a thing of beauty.
The player I want to compare him to is Bobby Wood, and I want to compare him favorably to him, but the reality is that he was injured too early to have had real club success or to have left a lasting impact.
Yeah, he was hurt so early in his career that it is difficult to really say how he would have turned out. He could have played for 10 more years uninjured and not gotten any better than he was; players plateau all the time. I do think he combined physicality and skill in a way we've seldom had on the US team. He was both fast and powerful on the ball, low center of gravity, quick, pretty good finisher and a tireless runner. That's a pretty good tool box to work from. We've almost never really had a speedy forward who was also particularly skilled. Lots of guys have gotten lots of games for the US just because they offered some sort of speed threat to stretch things, but far too many of them haven't had much else. I'd have pictured him having a pretty long career for the US had he stayed healthy. But, I'm not able to project how much he would or would not have improved just because this differs so much from player to player. He got off to a solid start in France, but outside a limited number of internationals and a too small to count stint in France, he never really played against high enough competition to say how good he really was.
He was so good. He was soooo fast and powerful. He had two good feet, great touch, perfect balance. He could hold the ball up, he could play in the channels. He could finish, he would score scrappy goals and spectacular goals. So much energy and raw confidence and pure hustle. He was nothing like the happy go lucky guy he is today. He was a cocky motherf**** He gave us a lot of hope. I don’t think we’ve fully recovered from losing him that way. He was scoring right away for Sochaux and he would have been successful in the Premier League/Bundesliga IMO.
He was perfect for the team at the time and we didn't really find a replacement before the 2010 cup. He had speed and could finish. His speed meant defenses had to respect him which left Jozy more open (and less harassed which was good for Jozy's combo play with Davies, Donovan, and others). and also defenders had to worry about his speed which left more space for Donovan and Dempsey on the wings. The counterattack with Davies was truly dangerous. The 2010 Cup was relatively successful, but I do wonder how much better it could have been if Gooch and Davies had not gone down within 24 hours of each other.
That first half was some of the best soccer the US has ever played. They had Brazil on their back foot for a moment. Then they realized that they were Brazil and broke our hearts. After the Confederations Cup the US was a legit dark horse pick for the World Cup. We had established our style of play. After Davies injury the offense wasn't the same.
losing davies, holden and onyewu for the 2010 world cup was huge as they were all difference-makers and their replacements were all several levels below them....i think the usmnt wouldve def made semis or better with all 3 of those players.....smh @ what coulda been.....
2009 was the year of Charlie Davies. Just look at how our team played in the confederations cup when he was inserted into the lineup. He made our attack fearsome. he allowed Donovan to explode into more open space. Almost every goal scored by the US in important games in 2009 was directly related to Charlie Davies and what he was able to do on the field.
He definitely had the tools but if memory serves there were discipline problems in Sweden and France. Players who lack professionalism usually flame out early just not as dramatic.
The pass on that Mexico goal from Donovan was pretty amazing and the sort of thing we sorely lack since he left. And yeah, a healthy Davies, Holden (who was playing as well at top level as any midfielder we've had before he got hurt) and Onyewu (who was doing well enough to sign with Milan before he got hurt) would have made that a substantially better team. I'd say those three guys were all among our top 5-6 players at the time and losing them all was a big blow.
As time passes and I grow fonder, I feel as if no striker will ever be dearer to my heart than the McBride of 02 to bleeding 06. If Davies kept developing, he could have done about like Dempsey club wise. Squad at Spurs is good quality. Any league he could have fought for time on a team fighting for CL places or making knockouts of Europa. Any maybe he has us in Russia. Ah, maybe. If. Crap. After that Confed Cup run, up 2-0 on Brazil, was probably the highest the USMNT will be in my lifetime. The wreck a few months later changed way more in the team and player than we can really imagine.
How good was he? Legend has it that before games, he'd split logs with a karate chop and use his shin guards to shave down the logs into small pieces for cereal. This was his pre-match meal. Legend also has it that he hid quarters in his socks and every time he raced by a defender, he would deposit a quarter in their buttcheeks while yelling "Tollbooth!" But he was so fast, cameras couldn't catch this. Legend also has it that while playing abroad, he adopted a pack of wild Nordic dogs, trained them, and to this day, they build fires for him out of locally sourced sprucewoods and other organic matter.
He was kinda a star in Sweden during his only full season there. Due to lack of other options, he forced his way into the NT and was very prominent in 2009 for us. He even started with a brace off the bench during his 2nd match in Ligue 1. Basically, had he not had that injury. He could have been a star in France and he def would have helped us get to the quarter-finals if not better.
Great point. So similar in how they play. Literally with no fear. Davies' success in Sweden similar to Wood's success in 2 Bundesliga
We'd have beaten England for sure and Slovenia. I truly believe we'd have reached the Quarters. And maybe given Uruguay a run for their money.
I think Bobby has a better shot, and maybe more natural goal scoring instincts, and has performed for longer internationally. Can run the channels and force the ball forward against the best teams. Scored some really big goals for us. Charlie was faster, a better passer, could hold the ball up a little bit. And for as much of a bull as Bobby Wood is, Charlie Davies was a physical machine, a wrestler’s body with sprinter’s speed, a greed for the loose ball and a nasty attitude. At his brilliant peak he wanted to insult the opponent with his power and dance on their corner flag. He made us dynamic in the way bringing Mathis into the team did in 2000-2002, even after the ACL. Different gear players, we need more of those to emerge.
Charlie was exactly what we needed, at the right time. We looked completely different with him on the field, and he was a great partner for Landon. I hear the Wood comparisons people are making, but Charlie was a better, more confident player than him. Full stop. It is a shame what happened to him, and it changed the whole dynamic/trajectory of the program.