Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies hits back at critics

Jun 6 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

CURTIS Davies has hit back at snipers who say his form dipped after Martin Laursen’s absence from the Villa team.

The 24-year-old centre back missed only a handful of games last season and led the team out as skipper in the UEFA Cup in Prague.

But since the loss of Laursen at the turn of the year which also saw Villa’s sharp dip in form, Davies has had to put up with critics questioning his ability.

“I think it is funny when people say: ‘am I good enough?’, the former Albion skipper said.

“I don’t think the gaffer would have signed me if I wasn’t good enough. “I played 45 games last year. Would I have played that many if I wasn’t good enough?

“I am sure the manager would have found me out by now. But it is up to people to think whatever they want.

“The main thing for me is to go out there and to play whatever is in front of me.”

Villa kept only two clean sheets in their last 16 games in all competitions, a major factor in their fall from grace since February.

Davies believes it had much to do with the number of changes the defence had to contend with.

“It is about playing games and if you can hopefully get a continuation of a back four,” he said.

“At Middlesbrough in the penultimate game Carlos Cuellar came in and James Milner went to right back.