Delph

[Mister E]

Agree with Ad@m to an extent. A short while ago, there was a consensus that this was one of the worst Villa squads ever. That hasn't suddenly changed because we have won a few games. There is no sentimentality in football. If we stay up, then there needs to be a major restructuring of the squad to ensure we can progress.

I'm not sure "major re-structuring" is either required or likely.
I do think that Lambert should learn from this season (and with the hoped-for departure of Ireland, Dunne, Charles, Bent and Mutton) and secure the services of 2 Premier-experienced (premier-quality) CB and at least one experienced CMF.

[supertom]

Agree with Ad@m to an extent. A short while ago, there was a consensus that this was one of the worst Villa squads ever. That hasn't suddenly changed because we have won a few games. There is no sentimentality in football. If we stay up, then there needs to be a major restructuring of the squad to ensure we can progress.

Without doubt. I still think Delph makes the cut. Bannan? Not too sure. He hasn't shown enough. I've no problems with Westwood or Delph in CM long term.

Currently this is one of the weakest squads we've ever had in the Prem. That said it's potential is better than many of them. We've had a few average aging squads over the years, like SGT2 with the likes of Leonhardsen, Kinsella, Johnsen etc. Obviously O Neill made many a dubious signing too.
I'd expect a lot of these lads to really kick on next season though. There's talent. They get better with more experience with every game. Looking at things there's potential all through the side. Guzan in goal is brilliant. Lowton, Vlaar is looking solid now, Westy looks potentially very good. Could come within sniffing distance of Barry and Milner. If he added goals he'd be very close. Then of course Benteke up front is pure class.
The more these youngsters learn and the manager, the better we'll be for next season. 3-4 good signings, keeping Tekkers, and we'll be right up in the heady heights of top 8 again. Below the top 7 there's very little in it. Lamberts got the right ideas.

[Chris Smith]

Agree with Ad@m to an extent. A short while ago, there was a consensus that this was one of the worst Villa squads ever. That hasn't suddenly changed because we have won a few games. There is no sentimentality in football. If we stay up, then there needs to be a major restructuring of the squad to ensure we can progress.

There wasn't a consensus, there were a few prolific posters repeating the same argument. Most people could see that we were a work in progress and were prepared to give them time. Of course we need to strengthen but to build on what we have, not major reconstruction.

[saunders_heroes]

Agree with Ad@m to an extent. A short while ago, there was a consensus that this was one of the worst Villa squads ever. That hasn't suddenly changed because we have won a few games. There is no sentimentality in football. If we stay up, then there needs to be a major restructuring of the squad to ensure we can progress.

There wasn't a consensus, there were a few prolific posters repeating the same argument. Most people could see that we were a work in progress and were prepared to give them time. Of course we need to strengthen but to build on what we have, not major reconstruction.

So with just a little tinkering here and there you think we could go places with this squad?

[neo_Villan]

'Restructuring' maybe was too strong a word. Many players from the current squad need culling though. Given, Hutton, Lichaj, Clark, Stevens, Bannan, KEA, Holman, Albrighton, Ireland (won't happen as nobody will have him), Bent all need to be shipped out. I'm not even convinced the likes of Baker, Bennett, Delph, Sylla should remain anything other then squad players.

[Ad@m]

'Restructuring' maybe was too strong a word. Many players from the current squad need culling though. Given, Hutton, Lichaj, Clark, Stevens, Bannan, KEA, Holman, Albrighton, Ireland (won't happen as nobody will have him), Bent all need to be shipped out. I'm not even convinced the likes of Baker, Bennett, Delph, Sylla should remain anything other then squad players.

With the slight tweak for Clark (who I think will be good enough) I agree 100%.  This squad will not improve enough over the summer to not be involved in another relegation battle. Yes the players have promise but the squad looks like one of a newly promoted side.

Whilst I don't think major reconstruction is needed what we do need is some genuine quality in centre midfield and central defence.

[saunders_heroes]

'Restructuring' maybe was too strong a word. Many players from the current squad need culling though. Given, Hutton, Lichaj, Clark, Stevens, Bannan, KEA, Holman, Albrighton, Ireland (won't happen as nobody will have him), Bent all need to be shipped out. I'm not even convinced the likes of Baker, Bennett, Delph, Sylla should remain anything other then squad players.

With the slight tweak for Clark (who I think will be good enough) I agree 100%.  This squad will not improve enough over the summer to not be involved in another relegation battle. Yes the players have promise but the squad looks like one of a newly promoted side.

Whilst I don't think major reconstruction is needed what we do need is some genuine quality in centre midfield and central defence.

Very true. The defence needs serious rebuilding. I wouldn't trust the likes of Clark and Baker in my defence as far as I could throw them, and both fullbacks fill me with dread.
There's a lot of work to be done before we can start looking towards the other side of the table to the one we've been staring at all season.

[SoccerHQ]

To me it's clear, our central defence and central midfield are very weak. Sort those positions out with some reliable players and we could easily be pushing top 8 next season I reckon. Don't and it will be another struggle.

Westwood is a good player but he needs better alongside him. In fairness Delph has stepped up recently but previously when he's started to string two decent games together, he's got injured. And this run of form has been punctured by a two match ban for 10 yellows.

I actually think our attack has the potential to be better than what we had in the MON years. That's what will save us this season and one area of the pitch where there is real quality and Gabby is showing his best form since 09/10.

[SoccerHQ]

he's only picked him there once - against Everton - and he was completely anonymous.

Unfair that. He was played out wide against Everton. When the team-sheet was revealed that day, everybody assumed that Herd was picked to counter Fellaini. Instead that job was shockingly left to Wee Bannan. TBH that team selection was one of the strangest I ever seen by a Villa manager.

Yep and the Fonz starting over Weimann was another shocker.

[paul_e]

'Restructuring' maybe was too strong a word. Many players from the current squad need culling though. Given, Hutton, Lichaj, Clark, Stevens, Bannan, KEA, Holman, Albrighton, Ireland (won't happen as nobody will have him), Bent all need to be shipped out. I'm not even convinced the likes of Baker, Bennett, Delph, Sylla should remain anything other then squad players.

With the slight tweak for Clark (who I think will be good enough) I agree 100%.  This squad will not improve enough over the summer to not be involved in another relegation battle. Yes the players have promise but the squad looks like one of a newly promoted side.

Whilst I don't think major reconstruction is needed what we do need is some genuine quality in centre midfield and central defence.

over the course of the season we've not been good enough to not be in a relegation battle.  Since the start of the year we're comfortably mid-table.  So with minor tweaks we'd likely carry that on and be mid-table.  get those tweaks right and we can push for the top half.

You seem to be missing the fact that we've got a team full of kids who had their confidence trampled all over for a month and yet we're only 6 points away from 10th, bit more steel against a few sides where we gave away 2 goal leads and we'd be well up there.

[ozzjim]

He did well yesterday, no doubt.  But let's not kid ourselves - he's still only starting to look solid in what is still a relegation-threatened team.  I don't think he's any better than a bottom of the Prem/Championship player and if we're looking to progress next year we should be looking to a midfield without him.

Or been a big part in the side looking mid table or better since the end of January in reality.

[Mister E]

The difference next season will be that - with 12 months together - the squad will have so much more cohesion. Assuming that we (i) stay up and (ii) keep the key players we want to keep (e.g Weimann, Benteke, Guzan), I would expect the addition of two experienced CB and at least one experienced CMF to make a significant difference to what we've seen this season.

I do think that we need to ship out the dead wood but this squad ain't that far off being very good.

[PeterWithe]

I'd be happy to see the entire defence replaced and I think you could call that major reconstruction.

I think the midfield needs a leader but there is a nice mix there and we don't have a problem at all up top.

[Ad@m]

'Restructuring' maybe was too strong a word. Many players from the current squad need culling though. Given, Hutton, Lichaj, Clark, Stevens, Bannan, KEA, Holman, Albrighton, Ireland (won't happen as nobody will have him), Bent all need to be shipped out. I'm not even convinced the likes of Baker, Bennett, Delph, Sylla should remain anything other then squad players.

With the slight tweak for Clark (who I think will be good enough) I agree 100%.  This squad will not improve enough over the summer to not be involved in another relegation battle. Yes the players have promise but the squad looks like one of a newly promoted side.

Whilst I don't think major reconstruction is needed what we do need is some genuine quality in centre midfield and central defence.

over the course of the season we've not been good enough to not be in a relegation battle.  Since the start of the year we're comfortably mid-table.  So with minor tweaks we'd likely carry that on and be mid-table.  get those tweaks right and we can push for the top half.

You seem to be missing the fact that we've got a team full of kids who had their confidence trampled all over for a month and yet we're only 6 points away from 10th, bit more steel against a few sides where we gave away 2 goal leads and we'd be well up there.

6 points away from 10th having played two games more than them.  You can say all you like about confidence and chucking leads but we can't blame our position on anything other than the quality of the squad.  The team is in the position it deserves to be in and without significant investment we'll have a similar season next year.  Yes there is promise in some of the kids but they're not going to become top 10 players over the summer and some of them won't make it to that level at all.

To bring it back on topic, if we're aiming to be a top 10 club again I don't think Delph is good enough.  Look at it this way, do you think Delph would get anywhere near the first 11 of any of the teams in the top half of the table?

[Mister E]

'Restructuring' maybe was too strong a word. Many players from the current squad need culling though. Given, Hutton, Lichaj, Clark, Stevens, Bannan, KEA, Holman, Albrighton, Ireland (won't happen as nobody will have him), Bent all need to be shipped out. I'm not even convinced the likes of Baker, Bennett, Delph, Sylla should remain anything other then squad players.

With the slight tweak for Clark (who I think will be good enough) I agree 100%.  This squad will not improve enough over the summer to not be involved in another relegation battle. Yes the players have promise but the squad looks like one of a newly promoted side.

Whilst I don't think major reconstruction is needed what we do need is some genuine quality in centre midfield and central defence.

 ... both fullbacks fill me with dread ...

Well, I understand what you mean and have had a similar view this season. But I think that Lambert bought these two guys essentially for their attacking skills, expecting to have a better CB pairing and some better defensive MF players. His focus should be in these areas, initially, over the close season, since both Lowton and Bennett are improving.
But we certainly need cover in all the defensive positions.