Davies Fit and Focused
- Updated: February 18, 2015
Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com
It may be hard to fathom now, but at this time a year ago, Charlie Davies was fighting to stay relevant to the Revolution’s plans going into the start of a new season.
Beset by a nagging calf injury all while attempting to acclimate to a new position, the Boston College alum had to wonder whether the opportunity to showcase his talents would ever arrive after seeing only 19 minutes of preseason action last winter.
“There were just far too many questions last preseason for me personally, (with) gelling with the team, and the formation, and building that chemistry,” Davies told nesoccertoday.com.
Davies arrived in Foxborough via loan from Danish side Randers in August 2013, but his hopes of making an immediate contribution were halted by leg injuries. As as a result, he only saw a combined 16 minutes of action as the club clinched its first postseason berth in four years.
But injuries continued limit him the following winter. He entered preseason camp nursing a reoccurring calf strain that continued to conspire against him through the spring. Complicating matters further, he was asked to move from his customary center forward’s spot to the wing, a spot where Heaps wanted to take use of Davies’ pace.
“There were just questions as to where I was going to play on the field,” Davies said. “It wasn’t a position where I was comfortable playing yet.”
Eventually, Davies overcame his injuries, and by summer, was back at the center forward’s spot after Heaps eventually relented. And not a moment too soon.
Healthy and confident once again, Davies went on to score three goals during the second half of the season, but truly emerged as a weapon during the postseason after finding the back of the net four times in five contests.
Davies is looking to build off the momentum of last year’s postseason heroics this winter. While he may be battling Juan Agudelo for the starting spot up top, he can’t help but notice the stark contrast between last winter and this one.
“Coming into this preseason healthy, fit and just working on getting better as a team, and building the chemistry to a whole new level – it makes it a lot easier because you can just focus on the playing part,” Davies said. “So it’s a huge difference for me personally, compared to last preseason.”
Staying healthy will certainly be key for Davies to keep his spot in the lineup. But he is, by no means, satisfied with the status quo.
“The ultimate goal is just to continue to get better, trying to build off of last season,” Davies said. “I think I took a huge step forward, as a player, on the field being able to play in a one-striker system.”
As far as motivation goes, Davies points to the successes achieved last year as a foundation for what he hopes will be an even better showing in 2015.
“It’s been a beneficial preseason so far because I’m able to continue to build what I left off, and coming into preseason where I had a strong pro season last year,” Davies said. “I can continue to work hard and build off that, and I think it was a great base for me.”
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