Tottenham are certainly heading in the right direction under Antonio Conte, and a couple of tweaks here and there this summer could put them on track for a successful 2022/23 campaign. Delivering a shock back in February with a superb 3-2 win over Man City, the Lilywhites once again frustrated the Premier League's top two on Saturday evening following a 1-1 draw against Liverpool.
Spurs could have very easily left Anfield with all three points in the bag, only for Luis Diaz's deflected equaliser 16 minutes from time to clinch a point for the hosts. Up against it with Diaz, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah in attack. Tottenham remained strong at the back throughout and delivered a defensive masterclass to really frustrate their opponents.
The back three of Eric Dier, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies were exceptional during the game, with the Welshman producing a stunning block late on to stop Salah from bringing Hugo Lloris into action. Named man of the match following his sensational display in the Tottenham backline, after the game Davies opened up on his crucial bit of play and how well the team defended as a whole.
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"He's an incredibly dangerous player and when you get him on that left foot, you know he's going to shoot at some point. I got lucky in a way, I just threw myself at it and got a foot in the way. It got me on the leg on my left foot. As defenders, that's where you want to be. You want to be throwing yourself in front of it and I thought we did that well today," he explained.
"We were determined not to concede and even the goal, to concede a deflected goal is sometimes tough to take, especially when you know we're going to have to suffer a bit in these games. You know you're going to have to defend and we did that pretty well for most of the game."
Perhaps a player in the past who didn't get the recognition he deserved despite delivering consistent performances for the team when he took to the pitch, Davies is now thriving in the left-sided centre-back role and has taken his game to the next level under Conte to become one of his favourites. However, there are question marks over whether he will still be in the Tottenham team come the start of the new season in August.
Initially wanting to bring in a new left-sided centre-back in the January window, Tottenham instead shelved their plans and Fabio Paratici will now target a player for the position this summer. Having plenty of cover at the back as things stand, Davies is the only natural when it comes to the left side and Spurs ideally need to bring in someone over the coming months so that the balance remains if the Wales international is absent.
While it is only natural for the club to look to upgrade all across the pitch in the months ahead as they look to kick on and hit the next level, whoever comes in at left-sided centre-back will have a huge challenge on their hands in terms of pushing Davies out of the team. He has been excellent since Conte took on the job at the start of November and subsequently formed a really good understanding alongside Romero and Dier.
The potential new arrival could even spur Davies on to greater heights, knowing he has a real fight on his hands for the position in the team. The long-serving player is certainly one of the unsung heroes of the Tottenham team, and he is now getting the plaudits he merits after delivering some fine showings for the Lilywhites.
Asked by football.london after the win over Norwich City in December about Davies' adaptation to his new role, Conte waxed lyrical about his player. Comparing his transition to Cesar Azpilicueta's during his spell as Chelsea boss, the Italian also outlined Davies' "personality" as a key factor in succeeding in the position.
"Yeah, you’re right because Ben is playing very well and I think that that role specifically, I can get out the best of him," said Conte. "And it happens the same with (Cesar) Azpilicueta and I think the three central defenders, it's important to be good defensively. But at the same time, for me it's important to play football, have personality and play the ball.
"Also when you find a team that's defending very low, it’s very important in this system. I need players with personality to play the ball and also to be offensive. Ben is one of these players, he shows great solidity and plays well defensively. I’m happy for him. We are talking about a really good person, a good guy. He’s always really focused and concentrated. He played well."
Excellent against Liverpool and deserving of his man of the match award, Davies showcased once again why he is so highly rated by Conte and those who have managed him previously in north London. The 29-year-old may have a new competitor come August but you certainly wouldn't rule out him coming out on top once again.
