11 games in squad review

[Loxton01]

So we are 11 games into the new season and pretty much everyone has had a chance to stake a claim for the first team. I think we have some real players coming through but also others who I just dont think are going to make it and we should look to let them go to enable Lambert the opportunity to bring in fresh blood

Keepers

Guzan is firmly the new no1 and deserves to continue to develop. With Given its a shame but if a club offers us a million and we lose him off the wage bill id let him go. We should then look to bring in a hungry no 2 to press Guzan from the lower leagues.

Defenders

Warnock is out of contract in the summer and id offer him for free in January. Cant see anyone having him and i think he will continue on loan. Hutton needs to go but again not sure who will take him.

As for the rest of the defenders I have not seen enough of Bennett to prove himself yet. I like Lowton, Clark and Vlaar. Lichaj is a good squad player and Stevens will remain as cover. We do not know the position with Dunne I think we need an experienced head if he is focused I would keep him till the end of the season when his contract expires. If lambert wants him out we need a centre half to bring in. How about Dawson from Spurs never gets a game and I think would be a valuable asset for Villa.

Midfielders

For me this is the weakest area of the pitch. I like ireland in his new role and he is starting to perform at last. Westwood, Bannan keep the ball and are decent passers of the ball they should stay. El Ahmadi has not inspired me but likely needs more time. Holman is a decent squad player. For me delph is not good enough and never has been we should try and get rid of him for circa 3 million and cut our losses.

Albrighton and N Zog are pure frustration they can perform but rarely do. I would give them both one last chance to perform particualry in this new 4-3-3 formation until the end of the season but if they fail to deliver they have to go.

For me particulalry away from home we need a destroyer in the middle of the park who can pass the ball but also do the dirty side. How about Frimpong on loan from Arsenal am impressed with him whenever i see him and cant understand why he doesnt play more for arsenal.

Strikers

PL clearly does not feel Bent can fit into the side. We must sell in January otherwise his value will plummet. That leaves Benteke, Gabby and Weimann who will all do a job. Bowery is unproven and the Fonz for me is not going to make it and should be let go.

If Bent goes we must reinvest and buy a striker of quality who can play both the striker role but also from the wing as currently if we get an injury we are going to be in trouble. In terms of who this is a real difficult one and Im hoping PL has another Benteke up his sleeve.

I think if we get rid of Given, Warnock, Hutton, Bent, Delph that would get his maybe 15-18 million and release 250K a week off the wage bill.

PL should then be allowed to reinvest the money with another 5 million on top say 25 million to bring in a young gk and then 2-3 players of real quality. I think we would then be in a position to move forward

Whats others think

[Mazrim]

You're not far off what I think. I'm still loathe to get rid of Bent but I can understand the reasoning in letting him go if he's not going to be first choice. However, I dont know why Benteke and Bent with Gabby supporting them couldn't work.
Benteke has an appreciation of movement and Bent knows to get into positions.
Anyway...

We definitely need as a priority:

A centre half as we're weak ther in terms of numbers. Clark and Vlaar have done well but if its another experienced player or even another young potential star, fine. I think Bennett has potential and Lowton is coming on nicely but another versatile fullback to cover would be nice.

A midfield general. I like Westwood, I like El Ahmadi and they'll both figure and improve but I want a player who can boss a game. Physically and mentally.
A crackerjack attacking midfielder is also required. Ireland is doing well but a player with some genuine magic would be good.

If Bent goes, we need a predator, plain and simple. Or an all round quality player like that ghastly bellend Suarez.

[ktvillan]

Agree midfield has been the weak link, but Westwood is starting to show some promise and I think the Westwood/Bannan/Ireland combination has looked a lot better than the KEA/Delph/Holman version.

I'm not convinced by some of of our defenders.  Vlaar has been mostly impressive, Lowton okay,  but I still have doubts about Clark as a CB, and Bennett hasn't been particularly convincing at LB.

Up front I think we're fine as long as we improve the service.  Still not sure why Gabby is regarded as a shoe-in for many people, good in patches, but I still find him limited.   I'd like to see Benteke and Bent given a few games together but it would mean going 4-4-2 and i'm not sure that would work with our relatively weak midfield options.

I don't think we should sell Bent, nor should we need to to raise funds.  We may need cover for injuries in the second half of the season.  The owner should be willing to stump up a bit of money to ensure PL survival, like he did two years ago.  The financial rewards next year would make it worth it.

[pedro25]

No mention of Baker so far, I think he's worth holding on to and may be a safer bet than Bennett at left back for the foreseeable.  I think Herd will go the way of Hogg also for what it's worth.  Realistically we can't keep Dunne, Bent, Given etc. if they are not in the team and we're not in the Champs League.  I feel N'Zg is more likely to come good than Albrighton or Delph and fancy Ireland to continue to improve.

[tomd2103]

I would agree with most of the original post.  I think we've now found a formation that works for us and the moment (left back aside) the starting XI is pretty much picking itself.  What is encouraging is that we could soon have a bench of Given, Lichaj, Dunne, El Ahmadi, Holman, N'Zogbia and Bent which is stronger than we have had for a few seasons.   

The only players I would be looking to move on in January are Hutton and Warnock, but think there are a few that need to go in the summer.  I agree that Given will probably have to go in the summer, though we might not need a replacement as the Swiss kid Siegrist might be ready to step up by then.  Unless he can do enough to earn another contract, Dunne will also probably leave on a free, but he will need to be replaced.  I'm still hoping N'Zogbia will come good, especially as the new formation should suit him, but if not then he would be another who could go.  I would still be reluctant to sell Bent, but I just get the feeling he is going to be sold and he again will need replacing.  The other two I would look to move on in the summer are the Fonz and Delph, as they both really need a new start somewhere.

If the above happens, then I think we need to bring in a quality central midfielder and wide forward in January, and at least a central defender and striker in the summer.   

[eastie]

Not much to argue with on the original post , nzogbia,bent, warnock,Hutton ,given are all high wage earners who don't really contribute much if anything at the moment- albrighton isn't up to this level for me and too inconsistent, bent I like but I don't see him fitting into this style of play and given i also like but he is on huge wages to be on the bench so I guess if the right offers come in they could depart.

We need 3 or 4 players still with a bit more experience and quality but we have the nucleas of a good young squad that will improve as they play together.

[Matt Collins]

Generally agree with the above posts. Though I think people underplay quite how well Lowton has adjusted to this league. Bennett is unproven in my eyes. I think Clark is learning quite quickly. We've suffered a bit because noone has ever really played him on his best position or consecutive games.

I'd have said a proper defensive midfielder was the priority a couple of weeks back. I don't rate herd at all. But Westwood has been brilliant for me in the last couple of games. The balance in the last two games has been the best all season

I think bent and Benteke can play together. But it means adopting a formation we can't really play and so I am struggling to see where bent fits in at the moment

My bet is that lambert starts to entice n'zogbia's talent out around Xmas time and he takes up the weimann role on the right.

But if I could buy anyone it would be a proven premiership midfielder. Not Scott Parker - too old and expensive - but someone like that.

[tomd2103]

My bet is that lambert starts to entice n'zogbia's talent out around Xmas time and he takes up the weimann role on the right.

But if I could buy anyone it would be a proven premiership midfielder. Not Scott Parker - too old and expensive - but someone like that.

Would like to see N'Zogbia come to the fore this season and like you, think that role on the right is ready made for him.  It all really depends on N'Zogbia though and how much he really wants it when he comes back.  I don't think we have seen anything yet that would suggest we should get our hopes up. 

Agree on the need for a proven Premiership midfielder as well, but can't really think of one who would be a realistic target at the moment.  I posted somewhere else that I think Gareth Barry would be exactly the kind of player we need at the moment as is Anderson from Man Utd, but I think those two are firmly in the unrealistic category!!

[gabbythelegend]

Interesting OP. Agree with a lot of it. Could write a lot but I think I'll just stick to Jan and summer departures:

Jan:

Hutton (free)
Warnock (EOS loan)
Herd (loan)
Delfouneso (EOS loan)

Summer:

Dunne
Given
Bowery (loan)
Delfouneso
Warnock
Herd
Gardner (full season loan to Championship)
Ireland (dont mind him but we can get a better AMC)

Bent & Delph are seriously borderline, I'd give em six months to see if they can rediscover the form they showed when they first joined.

[Percy McCarthy]

If/when we're safe, I'd love to see us play with a front four of Gabby-Benteke-Bent-CNZ across the pitch and really give someone a hammering.

[fredm]

If/when we're safe, I'd love to see us play with a front four of Gabby-Benteke-Bent-CNZ across the pitch and really give someone a hammering.

And hope we win 7 - 6???

[Percy McCarthy]

By then Vlaark, Lowton, Bennett and Guzan will be impregnable.

[PaulWinch again]

Of the new signings Benteke and Lowton have been very good, Westwood is now showing that potential as well. KEA I think will come good, as will Bennett in time. The only slightly confusing one is Bowery, not writing him off at all but I'm not really sure why he's getting on the bench.

[not3bad]

Interesting OP. Agree with a lot of it. Could write a lot but I think I'll just stick to Jan and summer departures:

Jan:

Hutton (free)
Warnock (EOS loan)
Herd (loan)
Delfouneso (EOS loan)

Summer:

Dunne
Given
Bowery (loan)
Delfouneso
Warnock
Herd
Gardner (full season loan to Championship)
Ireland (dont mind him but we can get a better AMC)

Bent & Delph are seriously borderline, I'd give em six months to see if they can rediscover the form they showed when they first joined.

I'd swap Ireland for CNZ there, and get someone like Zaha in as a replacement.

[PeterWithesShin]

Of the new signings Benteke and Lowton have been very good, Westwood is now showing that potential as well. KEA I think will come good, as will Bennett in time. The only slightly confusing one is Bowery, not writing him off at all but I'm not really sure why he's getting on the bench.

Probably because he's fit.