Midfielder Davies scores rare perfect rating
It was a perfect 10, but Carl Robinson wasn’t about to let a perfect player rating go to Alphonso Davies’ head.
The Whitecaps midfielder had a goal and team-record three assists in his team’s 5-2 win over Orlando City on Saturday, his eye-popping stats adding up to an unheard-of 10.00 rating on whoscored.com.
“I’ve challenged him a couple of times to start games better because I think that he’s a little bit slow with his reactions, his decision-making, in the early parts of games,” said Robinson. “There were still areas where I think he could have got seven or eight assists tonight. So still some areas to work on.”
The 17-year-old Davies had teamhighs in key passes (5), dribbles (4), fouls earned (4), shots on target (2) and interceptions (3). His 76th minute goal restored the life into B.C. Place after the Caps gave up a 1-1 equalizer while up a man.
His pace repeatedly torched the Lions’ defence, and his ball distribution — one area he’d been softly criticized on this season — was on point. His team-best seven assists is now third-best in MLS.
“He told me to start the game the way I finished. And I do what he says,” the soft-spoken teen said after the game.
“I just try to play my game, and do what I know. I’m not trying to overcomplicate anything.”
Davies’ three-year contract expires in December, though the team holds options for the next two years. As has been almost constantly since he first made his debut as a 15-year-old, there were media reports this week linking him to a European club, this time Turkish giants Beşiktaş.
His development has been steady, but this year he’s starting to tantalizingly display the type of player he’ll eventually turn in to.
His athleticism and technical skills are already among the best in the league — his 70 successful dribbles are 13 more than the nextclosest player, Atlanta’s Miguel Almirón — and much of his oneon-one work in training has focused on his crossing and finishing.
Striker Kei Kamara was the beneficiary of one of his assists on Saturday, helping the Sierra Leonean
striker score from the field for the first time since March 31. Kamara had put in extra time helping his younger charge learn the intricacies of the game during training.
“He’s doing his job,” Kamara said post-game. “It’s a good team for him to be part of. We know what his strengths are, and we’re putting him in position to use those strengths.”
Davies isn’t the only one having a fine run of form during the Caps’ six-game unbeaten streak. Yordy Reyna and Cristian Techera scored all but two of the team’s nine goals in the five games previous to Saturday. The Peruvian Reyna was on fire again Saturday, finding the net for the second straight game, earning a penalty kick after a VAR review.
Vancouver now heads into a twoweek break for the World Cup, getting back to action on June 23 with a road game against the Philadelphia Union before returning home to host the Colorado Rapids on July 1.