Derby County defender Curtis Davies played for Aston Villa during the early part of his career.
Curtis Davies has warned Aston Villa goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic that the fans ‘will have a pop’ if thing aren’t going well for him.
Derby County defender Davies, who played for the Midlands outfit during the mid-to-late noughties, stated that the club’s new January addition is ‘ready’ to play at Villa Park because of his experiences on the international stage.
Croatia international Kalinic has played 16 games for his country, including making an appearance during their run to the World Cup final last summer in Russia.
Nonetheless, from his own experiences, Davies spoke about the Villa Park supporters and how difficult it could be to play in front of them when talking about shot-stopper Kalinic.
“I think so [he needs that experience with Croatia to play for Villa],” Davies told Sky Sports Football on 08/02/2019. “When you have played in World Cup finals, played for your country every time you go away. I think you are ready for Villa Park.
“I know it is a ground where it is not going well for you, particularly as a goalkeeper, you’re right by the fans be it at the Holte End. But they will have a pop. He’ll be ready for it.”
Over the course of the season, Villa have struggled to have a regular keeper between the sticks, with the likes of Jed Steer, Andre Moreira, Mark Bunn, Orjan Nyland and now Kalinic all wearing the gloves at some point this season.
Their instability in goal has also been visible in defence, with the likes of James Chester, Tommy Elphick, James Bree, Mile Jedinak, Axel Tuazebe, Kortney Hause and Tyrone Mings all playing at the heart of the club’s defence at some stage.
As a result, the promotion-chasing outfit have conceded 49 goals during this campaign, only relegation-threatened Rotherham United and bottom-of-the-table Ipswich Town have shipped more.
Nonetheless, Kalinic has played five Championship matches since moving to Villa, securing one clean sheet, but he has conceded nine goals.
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