The key 5

[PaulWinch again]

If Bent can play like he did when he came on yesterday he could help a lot. N'Zog and Benteke are probably the most important as we need goals.

[supertom]

For the rest of the season I think the key five are:
Guzan
Vlaar (needs to step up)
Delph (for me, Westy is fairly consistent and a first choice, Delphy needs to cement that spot beside Westy- he looks more likely than BB).
N'Zogbia (our only potential matchwinner in midfield).
Benteke (A spark of inspiration always seems available from the big man.)

[PaulWinch again]

Essentially we need the whole team to step up. Yesterday was a start, but we need at least another 5 wins.

[Ads]

Fuck me, if Delph is in a "key 5", we may as well give up now! Since joining us he's shown us he's not very good at passing, shooting, tackling and has poor positioning. Other than that, you're right.

Delph had a really good game, but it's all about opinions!

I'll add Baker to the list, i thought he was superb yesterday and really up for the fight.

Delph has been good for a while now.

He is starting to add a bit of confidence to his game and is pushing the ball forward with some good running, whereas before he was too fearful and was squaring the ball too often.

I think the other posters view of him is wide of the mark and not based upon recent evidence.

[JUAN PABLO]

when I look at our quality we have at times . Benteke , Nzogbia , Lowton  , Guzan ,Bent etc etc . you wonder why we were second bottom. I know we have not had the money in January and we needed two players badly but you would think we would have the players to be never in the bottom 3.   

Im hoping for a good finish from Delph , Westwood , KEA ,Vlarr , Clark, Gabby  and Sylvva and we will be ok.

[Brend'Watkins]

Delph is steadily improving.  He still has a tendency to over hit his first touch which is annoying but his overall game is miles better than earlier in the season. 

One thing that really stands out in our midfield is that we don't seem to win many of the 2nd balls.  Our failure doesn't half put us under pressure at the back.  Hopefully Cylla can address some of this part of our play.

[Chrisupnorth]

The table doesn't lie.  As true a saying as there is.  If we survive, it will be by the skin of our teeth.  Our squad is thin on quality.  Nothing to do with age.  Everything to do with ability; or the lack of it.

[SoccerHQ]

Vlaar ahead of Clark surely?

Ron's had a lot of stick since he came back but I feel a tiny bit more confident in defence with him in there as at least he'll organise them a bit better.

To me I just think we need to keep the front 4 firing between now and the end of the season. It's clear we won't suddenly start magically keeping clean sheets every week suddenly but we have got the ability to score 2-3 goals on a decent basis.

[Dante Lavelli]

The table doesn't lie.  As true a saying as there is.  If we survive, it will be by the skin of our teeth.  Our squad is thin on quality.  Nothing to do with age.  Everything to do with ability; or the lack of it.

There are plenty of other threads to be miserable, lets us deluded optimists have at least one thread where we can be positive.  Thanks.

[Vegas]

Fuck me, if Delph is in a "key 5", we may as well give up now! Since joining us he's shown us he's not very good at passing, shooting, tackling and has poor positioning. Other than that, you're right.

Chipsticks is more on the ball.

I think Lowton may turn out to be a good player as well (especially when not left isolated against two players in recent games (as has Bennett).

Delph's been playing well recently, and very well yesterday

[MoetVillan]

Its funny, I really rated Delph yesterday, and he remains (for me) our most improved player on this season, ahead of the Zog.  My mate came with me yesterday, and he was a bit down on him, three times he went though a tackle and pushed the ball a yard to far.  For me though, he does something a midfielder at Villa hasnt done since Milner (hear me out before you start laughing), he turns and runs at defences, which actually gives us another dimension.  And his tackling is improving.  I still think the walking yellow card is there, but I think improving fitness(pace) is reducing the need for this.  If he loses the ball, he wants to win it back straight away (I like this desire).  Him and Westwood with a good run in the team could be that spine we have needed for years.  The other key three players (i guess my "picks") are Lowton, I really rate him, Benteke, just a Beast and the Zog, (I just wish I had seen more of this ability last year)

[Bigmelonface]

I really can't get too a key five.