Planet Swans ArchivesThe rookie defender got his first chant from the Swansea faithful against Chelsea on Saturday following another mature display from the 19-year-old.
Davies was excellent against Chelsea’s star-studded side in the latest of a number of impressive performances since being handed a chance in the first team at the beginning of September when Neil Taylor suffered a double leg fracture.
“It’s great for me to hear something like that from the fans and it’s testament to my performances — but I’ve got to keep my feet on the ground,” said Neath-born Davies.
“I have to keep working hard every day. The more I work, the better I’ll become.
“It’s great to have the manager showing faith in me in games like that. Him putting me in the starting line-up gives me a great boost.
“It’s a bit manic how much things have changed, but it all comes from hard work.
“I’ve been given my chance and I feel like I’ve taken it, but there’s still a long way to go.”
Davies’ time in the Swansea first team was only ever expected to be short-lived after Taylor suffered his horrific injury against Sunderland.
Manager Michael Laudrup immediately turned to the free agent market after losing Taylor because Davies had been playing in Swansea’s U19 side last season and hadn’t made a first team appearance.
At the time Laudrup said: “Ben did well and he had a great pre-season but he is only 19, we can’t put that much responsibility and pressure on him.”
Swansea brought in experienced Dutchman Dwight Tiendalli and he was expected to take Davies’ place in the starting XI.
Instead Davies has kept Tiendalli and veteran defender Alan Tate, who can also play at left-back, out of Laudrup’s Premier side.
Davies said: “It always takes a few games to get used to the speed of things, but I do feel more confident out on the field.
“I get to break forward because of the way we play. All I can do is work hard on that part of my game as well my defensive duties.
“Playing against teams like Manchester City and Chelsea gives you a great boost. It gives me a lot of confidence to come up against some of the best players in the world.
“Chelsea have spent a lot of money on players and to play against them has been great.
“We stood up to them and I don’t think we looked out of place against them.”
Swansea’s point against Chelsea on Saturday capped a morale-boosting week for Laudrup’s side.
After a narrow 1-0 defeat at Premier League champions Manchester City and a League Cup win over Liverpool, the Swans came from a goal behind to take a point off Chelsea.
It left Swansea with a healthy seven-point gap over the relegation places and one they could extend with a win over bottom club Southampton next weekend.
The Saints lost 2-0 at West Bromwich Albion on Monday night and manager Nigel Adkins admitted he is now favourite to become the first top-flight manager to be sacked this season.
Swansea’s Davies added: “We showed a lot of confidence to come back from a goal down against a team like Chelsea. We deserved our point.
“The draw capped off an excellent week for us. The club has come out of this week very well.
“Our performances against three of the best teams in the country will give us a lot of confidence.
“Anything from games like Chelsea is a bonus because we don’t necessarily go into games against top-five sides expecting to get any points.
“To get a point says a lot about us as a team and gives us a lot of confidence going into next weekend’s game.”
