Ciaran Clark: The new/next David Platt?

[MalcolmP]

Jimmy Brown was once going to be the greatest captain Villa ever had, anyone remember him ?

Yes I remember him - our youngest ever player at 15 years 349 days!! Next question?

[tonyh]

I thought Clark was awful in the first half today and was calling for his substitution. He improved second half. As for being the next David Platt I am not convinced.

[taylorsworkrate]

Not for me, Clark certainly has no case of spoonface.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Don't think he will be the next Platty, I think that will be Bannan, A very good player in the making though, A goal against the scum would make him a hero.

Certainly more to come from him

[saunders_heroes]

I thought he was outstanding today.

In the second half but his future has to be as a centre half, his committment was superb but I dont think his distribution and positional sense is up to playing in midfield full-time but thats just my opinion

Agreed. He gives the ball away too much for me, and our midfield is by-passed with him and Bannan in it. Because they're young it gets overlooked and people are quick to forgive them for sloppy passes etc, but they're the main reason we're struggling this season. We've just got too many kids in the first team at the moment. Not their fault, obviously, but we've just got to grin and bear it till Petrov and co get fit.

[Risso]

Agreed. He gives the ball away too much for me, and our midfield is by-passed with him and Bannan in it. Because they're young it gets overlooked and people are quick to forgive them for sloppy passes etc, but they're the main reason we're struggling this season. We've just got too many kids in the first team at the moment. Not their fault, obviously, but we've just got to grin and bear it till Petrov and co get fit.

I largely agree with that SH.  I'm enjoying watching the kids play, but an ideal world they'd be used a bit more sparingly than they are at the moment.  Of our current squad, I could see NRC and Bannan being a decent combination.  The energetic ball winner with the composed ball player.

[saunders_heroes]

Agreed. He gives the ball away too much for me, and our midfield is by-passed with him and Bannan in it. Because they're young it gets overlooked and people are quick to forgive them for sloppy passes etc, but they're the main reason we're struggling this season. We've just got too many kids in the first team at the moment. Not their fault, obviously, but we've just got to grin and bear it till Petrov and co get fit.

I largely agree with that SH.  I'm enjoying watching the kids play, but an ideal world they'd be used a bit more sparingly than they are at the moment.  Of our current squad, I could see NRC and Bannan being a decent combination.  The energetic ball winner with the composed ball player.

Spot on. In an ideal world these players would be introduced gradually, but the situation we find ourselves in now is unique for Villa and they've all been thrown in at the deep end. I just don't go with all this, "the kids are brilliant, but the senior ones are all to blame". Because for me the reason we seem to be getting beat left right and centre is because our team is packed out with kids. Bannan and Clarke gave the ball away so many times yesterday it was untrue, but fans seem to ignore it.

[ozzjim]

I still think Reo Coker is the big miss Risso. IF we could stick him in with Bannan and Clark, with Young and Downing playing off Gabby in the way Chelsea play, I think it woul dbe effective as Clark gets forward so well.

[eamonn]

I still think Reo Coker is the big miss Risso. IF we could stick him in with Bannan and Clark, with Young and Downing playing off Gabby in the way Chelsea play, I think it woul dbe effective as Clark gets forward so well.

I think I'd have Albrighton's name on the teamsheet before any of those players. When fit of course.
Albrighton

[darren woolley]

I think his best position will be at CB if he can just sort is pasing out what a player he will be.

[Mazrim]

The next Platt? Not at all.

The next Allan Evans with a bit of Ian Taylor thrown in, maybe.

[London Villan]

As a previous poster said, more like a young Gareth Barry. Defender who can play a bit.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

We've missed NRC and his grafting abilities, I don't think the Arse would have had quite so much freedom if he'd been playing.

[saunders_heroes]

If the team has badly missed anyone it's Petrov. He kept the midfield ticking over and rarely if ever lost possession of the ball. Now we give it away left right and centre.
He's easily the biggest miss of this injury crisis we find ourselves in this season.

[Monty]

Not sure about "easily" the biggest miss, but I would certainly put Petrov's absence as more crucial than NRC's. He was just coming back into form and fitness as well, which must have been even more frustrating for him than for us.