Leandro Bacuna - Sold

[paul_e]

I'm not ready to ditch Hutton yet.  He has been our player of the season by a country mile and he fully deserves to be our first choice at the moment.  But if Bacuna keeps the pressure on him or adds an extra option, then that is great too.

I think how well Hutton has played has a danger of being overstated because he'd been written off.  Player of the season this year is Clark by a long way, with Okore and Hutton fighting for 2nd place and even then Hutton hasn't played as well recently whereas Clark and Okore have just been getting better and better.

[JG]

I'm not ready to ditch Hutton yet.  He has been our player of the season by a country mile and he fully deserves to be our first choice at the moment.  But if Bacuna keeps the pressure on him or adds an extra option, then that is great too.

I think how well Hutton has played has a danger of being overstated because he'd been written off.  Player of the season this year is Clark by a long way, with Okore and Hutton fighting for 2nd place and even then Hutton hasn't played as well recently whereas Clark and Okore have just been getting better and better.

Respectfully disagree pal. Clark is rightly getting plaudits, but not 6 months ago he looked like he had no chance of making the grade. He had championship player written all over him. He's suddenly so impressive due to the severity of his improvement. When discussing player of the season I think consistency matters and Hutton more than any other player has consistently performed really well in a largely struggling team.

[paul_e]

I'm not ready to ditch Hutton yet.  He has been our player of the season by a country mile and he fully deserves to be our first choice at the moment.  But if Bacuna keeps the pressure on him or adds an extra option, then that is great too.

I think how well Hutton has played has a danger of being overstated because he'd been written off.  Player of the season this year is Clark by a long way, with Okore and Hutton fighting for 2nd place and even then Hutton hasn't played as well recently whereas Clark and Okore have just been getting better and better.

Respectfully disagree pal. Clark is rightly getting plaudits, but not 6 months ago he looked like he had no chance of making the grade. He had championship player written all over him. He's suddenly so impressive due to the severity of his improvement. When discussing player of the season I think consistency matters and Hutton more than any other player has consistently performed really well in a largely struggling team.

As I say, I think Hutton has dropped off a fair bit, I don't think he's had a particularly good game since the new year.  For Clark I think his only truly poor performances have been in the 2 games against Arsenal, the first he looked off the pace and the 2nd the whole team were horrific (including Hutton).  He might not get the official award but for me he's been key to us not being cast adrift during the dire performances under Lambert.

[OCD]

Hutton is a decent right back to have around but he doesn't really have an end product when he gets forward, his crossing is awful.

Bacuna provides a very different option - he can be a threat and scare the life out of opposition when he's bombing forward. He can defend but probably not well enough to sustain it for a long run of games. So the solution probably is to take each game on it's own merit and pick one or the other. Bacuna should certainly start against Swansea. Man Utd away? He would be good on the counter but can he handle the defensive side in a game like that?

[Matt Collins]

Clark has been our best player since he came into the side. But he did miss the first third of the season

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

His performance on Saturday was genuinely "excellent"...but I would have Hutton back in there for Swansea and some of the tough away games coming up. I just think Bacuna plays better further forward which he was allowed to do on Sat because Sunderland were so poor.
Hutton's not too bad going forward himself and he's solid defensively.

I'm not sure I would change things for the Swansea game, as I think the players who played against Sunderland deserve to keep their places.  It makes a nice change to be talking about selection dilemmas though!!

I agree

Especially at home against Swansea

You can't drop a player who played that good.

As Damo says, ideally I'd have Bacuna further forward from the start, but that would mean other changes to the team and it's good to have the problem of who to leave out/put in after the team played so well on Saturday.
TS's selection will be interesting to see.
Bacuna in at full-back would clearly show an intent to go at Swansea from the off.

[Diablo]

Think you are all getting carried away. He had one good 45 mins. There have been plenty of dire performances over the last 18 months. I prefer Hutton for his defensive strengths

I've liked Bacuna from the start, he does need to work on his concentration in defence but otherwise he's ideal for a fullback, he can run all day, he's fast (both over a couple of yards and longer distance) he's willing and capable with the ball at his feet, he's got a decent cross and scores the odd goal.  Add in the fact he'll get 2-3 free kicks a year and he's definitely worth sticking with, I think he's a better long term option than Hutton who I still think is a liability because he loses his temper.

Same here.  He scored about 5 goals last season as well?

I've been looking for an excuse to repost this:

Superb!! I love the way he's got up there so quickly he has time to outstretch his hands - "C'mon! Where's the pass?" before he pings it in the corner.

[paul_e]

That goal comes from a fantastic first touch, took the defender out of the game completely.

[Villafirst]

He's a talent. Still a bit raw, but has a good turn of pace. A bargain signing really.

[JG]

I've thought since we signed Bacuna that there is a decent player in there, it's just been a case of figuring out his best position. Up until now he's quite frankly been an absolute defensive liability at right back, but I'm convinced this can be overcome with decent coaching, which he's not had before. Same with Lowton, undoubtedly a talented player, but let himself down too often doing his primary job of defending. If Lowton & Bacuna can be coached to be more solid & consistent defensively then we have 3 very good right backs on our hands.

[OCD]

Lowton seems quite capable at left back too so it might be him or Bennett playing there next season with funds being used on more creative types.

[saunders_heroes]

Lowton seems quite capable at left back too so it might be him or Bennett playing there next season with funds being used on more creative types.

I doubt we'll ever see Bennett in the Villa team again. A Premier League standard player he ain't.

[DrGonzo]

 When he arrived I remember an interview that suggested he didn't feel comfortable defensively when playing at RB, even though he often found himself covering there.  There was also a suggestion that he would be open to playing in the middle of the park.  It's obvious to anyone that watches him that his talents lie in getting forward and supplying forwards and running at defenders.  However The Sainted Tim obviously feels he can rehabilitate CN'Z so I can't see that he will get too many chances out wide, sadly.  One of those players that have been inhibited by their flexibility and, often, there good nature in not demanding to play where they want. 

[Holte L2]

When he arrived I remember an interview that suggested he didn't feel comfortable defensively when playing at RB, even though he often found himself covering there.  There was also a suggestion that he would be open to playing in the middle of the park.  It's obvious to anyone that watches him that his talents lie in getting forward and supplying forwards and running at defenders.  However The Sainted Tim obviously feels he can rehabilitate CN'Z so I can't see that he will get too many chances out wide, sadly.  One of those players that have been inhibited by their flexibility and, often, there good nature in not demanding to play where they want. 

Another thing I noticed during the Sunderland and Albion game's is Bacuna and N'Zogbia appear to have developed an understanding.  There were times when N'Zogbia tracked back when Bacuna bombed forwards.  There will definitely be times when we might look a bit short at the back, but it's refreshing to see players with a zest and the ability to run forwards instead of looking for the sideways pass.

Bacuna should play on Saturday for me.  You can't punish a player that played so well by dropping him.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Lowton seems quite capable at left back too so it might be him or Bennett playing there next season with funds being used on more creative types.

I doubt we'll ever see Bennett in the Villa team again. A Premier League standard player he ain't.

I dunno - maybe Sherwood can get something out of him?