Which Players are Good Enough for 'The Next Level'?

[Risso]

I'm not arguing Lowton or Bennett have been perfect but there's plenty of promise there. Lately Bennett's quality with his left foot has begun to show.

He's decent enough going forward but he's a bleedin' awful defender.  And as that's the position he was bought to fill, you can't describe him as a success.  The whole defence has been awful all season.

[PaulWinch again]

I haven't though Risso, I said he will make it. Bennett's defending has improved lately as well.

[Trouserdog]

1. Good enough to play for a Top 4 team?

Guzan, Benteke

2. Good enough to play for a Top 7 team?

Vlaar, Ireland (on his day), Weimann, Delph, Westwood, Lowton, Bent, N'Zgobia, Agbonlahor

3. Not good enough at all for the Premiership?

Bennett, Stephens.

I think you've missed out a vital category which is 'good enough for mid table', as in 8th-14th. As there's plenty of players in our squad, such as Clark, Herd, Baker, Sylla, KEA, Albrighton, Holmann etc who I'd say aren't good enough for the top 7, yet it would be very harsh to say they're not good enough for the premier league.

Well, it's sort of implicit that if you haven't listed them in any of the other three, then that's the category they'll be in. I was just saving everyone a bit of time! 

 I'm not actually a Villa fan but I think you might be overestimating the ability of a few players there...if you had that many players capable of playing for say, Liverpool or Everton, you'd surely be about 20 points better off by now! Stephen Ireland...deary me. Where did it all go wrong...

[dave.woodhall]

If you're not actually a Villa fan don't come on here slagging our players.

[Warren Aspinall]

Stephen Ireland...deary me. Where did it all go wrong...

I think this is a Kop out & i'm Tilton towards this poster being without Merrick in the Main.

[Percy McCarthy]

Stephen Ireland...deary me. Where did it all go wrong...

I think this is a Kop out & i'm Tilton towards this poster being without Merrick in the Main.

You missed out the Agbonlahor End.

[neo_Villan]

Does the OP mean which players have the potential for top 4/7 clubs or which players are currently good enough to play for them? If it is the latter, then you have to agree with Trouserdog's last comment to an extent as we don't currently have many players good enough for such teams. This is why we are where we are in the table. The table doesn't lie at this stage of the season. We are a poor side but we have potential to evolve into a decent one.

[adrenachrome]

If you're not actually a Villa fan don't come on here slagging our players.

First time posters opening a topic in their first post is bad netiquette and often an opportunity for the opportunist troll. Many message boards do not allow it.

[Dave]

I'm not actually a Villa fan but I think you might be overestimating the ability of a few players there...if you had that many players capable of playing for say, Liverpool or Everton, you'd surely be about 20 points better off by now!

Let's put it this way - we'd probably take both of your centre-halves. But based on their dreadful performance against us a couple of weeks ago we wouldn't want any more of your thuggish rugby players.

[Concrete John]

Does the OP mean which players have the potential for top 4/7 clubs or which players are currently good enough to play for them? If it is the latter, then you have to agree with Trouserdog's last comment to an extent as we don't currently have many players good enough for such teams. This is why we are where we are in the table. The table doesn't lie at this stage of the season. We are a poor side but we have potential to evolve into a decent one.

This sums it up nicely for me.

The tale of our season has been that of a slow start, but then gradual improvement.  We then got to Chelsea away and that battering knocked their confidence, which took a long time to return.  Newcastle at home 2nd half seemed to be the turning point, and since then we've shown easily mid table form.  So, over the 33 games we've played, not good enough, with signs pointing to improvement.

Individual players can be argued about and one or two will undoubtedly prove not good enough, but some will go on and make a great career for themselves.

[PeterWithesShin]

 I'm not actually a Villa fan but I think you might be overestimating the ability of a few players there...if you had that many players capable of playing for say, Liverpool or Everton, you'd surely be about 20 points better off by now! Stephen Ireland...deary me. Where did it all go wrong...

Huth and Shawcross good enough for top 4 teams, really?

[pauliewalnuts]

I'm not arguing Lowton or Bennett have been perfect but there's plenty of promise there. Lately Bennett's quality with his left foot has begun to show.

He's decent enough going forward but he's a bleedin' awful defender.  And as that's the position he was bought to fill, you can't describe him as a success.  The whole defence has been awful all season.

I'll admit, I haven't seen much from Bennett to encourage me, but with the defence, you have to remember that, for much of the season, too many kids have been thrown in together at the same time.

Lowton, Baker, Bennett should really be getting introduced into a defence with some older, wiser heads there. They haven't though, they've been thrown into a level they've never played at before, week in, week out. Lowton has played every minute of every game, for example.

You are asking a lot (and I think this is the club's fuck up here) for them all to prove their worth at the same time, which is why it is difficult to judge.

[Holte L2]

1.Good enough to play for a Top 4 team?

Guzan, Benteke, Weimann

2. Good enough to play for a Top 7 team?

Vlaar, Lowton, Westwood ,N'Zogbia, Delph



3. Not good enough at all for the Premiership?

Ireland, Bennett, Stephens, Herd, Bowery,

[Concrete John]

Yep.  Would Bennett have had a better season with an experienced CB inside him, like Dunne?  I think so.

[paul_e]

1.Good enough to play for a Top 4 team?

Guzan, Benteke, Weimann

2. Good enough to play for a Top 7 team?

Vlaar, Lowton, Westwood ,N'Zogbia, Delph



3. Not good enough at all for the Premiership?

Ireland, Bennett, Stephens, Herd, Bowery,

Swap nzogbia for agbonlahor and remove Bennett and Bowery from the bottom list and I agree with this (oh and add Hutton to the not good enough list).  I personally think we've got a lot of youngsters capable of making it at a top 7 side but we have 2 problems.

1: Too many of them are learning to play at this level at the same time.
2: The senior players around them are in the midtable or not good enough category, or aren't fit.

It's telling that the results have gradually improved as the season has gone on, which shjows that the experience is starting to make a difference;

first 11 games points per game (PPG) = 0.82
next 11 = 0.91
last 11 = 1.36

Extend the form from the start over the season and we'd be pretty much down by now = 27 points
Extend the form from the last 11 over the season and we'd be comfortably top half = 45 points