Delph for England

[Ads]

Yeah, Delph really needs to improve his endless square balling.

[Monty]

 Keep playing well, hes a good defensive midielder, better than Carrick.

Are you mad?

Agree on that point, actually. I love Delph, but the way Carrick is underrated by so many people continues to confuse me a bit.

[Dave]

I see your point, but they get their heads turned when they are chosen anyway.

It's a handy excuse, but I'm not sure it stands up.

If somebody like Barry or Young gets called up for England, it's probably because they are playing very well. If they're playing very well then they're probably likely to think to themselves "I could probably play at a higher level than I am at Villa" without anyone from ManYoo whispering in their ear that they might want to think about it.

The first time that Young was called into the England squad and chatted with Rooney and Ferdinand probably wasn't the first time that he thought he might be able to play for a team higher up the table than we were.

[PGW]

'Claret & Blue' tinted glasses abound where Fabian Delph is concerned....yes he is indeed having a decent season but far from great, he probably will win the fans player of the season
but thats partly due to no-one else forcing their way into the frame currently.

He is not good enough for England.......yet!!!

[BegbieAV]

He gets too many yellow cards, too aggressive and indisciplined at times

[Dave]

He is not good enough for England.......yet!!!

Who are the nine or so current English midfielders who you feel are good enough?

[eric woolban woolban]

If Jay Rodriguez plays for England so can I.

He may as well of brought Heskey back.

Delph should have been given a chance. Maybe he's on the shortlist.

[eastie]

I see your point, but they get their heads turned when they are chosen anyway.

It's a handy excuse, but I'm not sure it stands up.

If somebody like Barry or Young gets called up for England, it's probably because they are playing very well. If they're playing very well then they're probably likely to think to themselves "I could probably play at a higher level than I am at Villa" without anyone from ManYoo whispering in their ear that they might want to think about it.

The first time that Young was called into the England squad and chatted with Rooney and Ferdinand probably wasn't the first time that he thought he might be able to play for a team higher up the table than we were.

Not just the thought of playing in a better team - the  money some of those  players are too will be vastly more than villa will be able to offer , the sooner Delph agrees and signs a new contract the better .

[PGW]

He is not good enough for England.......yet!!!

Who are the nine or so current English midfielders who you feel are good enough?

Of the 10 named today i would say 7 of them are above Delph, the 3 who i would say are maybe at the same level are Henderson, Cleverley and Barkley not a great deal to choose from the 4 of them.
I personally think that Barry was discarded by England too soon and his mature display last week at Villa Park showed that. I also am a fan of Michael Carrick.

Dare i say it but i actually rate Shelvey as well.....not yet enough to suggest for one minute that he should be anywhere near the England squad presently.

As they say 'football is all about opinion'. It's what makes it such a great game. I do hope that one day Delph may well get a game for England but it certainly won't be this side of the World Cup finals.

[aj2k77]

Influence games.

He's played pretty well in a terrible midfield but hasn't done that much either going forward or backward.

No conspiracy to see here, he just hasn't done that much in reality.

Does the sun ever shine in your world?

I'll get excited about Delph when he does something exciting, at the moment he's ok, thanks for your concern though.

[PGW]

The point i wanted to make but forgot. What let's Delph down is his first touch he lets the ball get away from him and is forced into making rash challenges on occasion which
has got him into trouble in the past. That failing is i think the main reason why currently wont make England squad selection.

[Dante Lavelli]

If Jay Rodriguez plays for England so can I.

He may as well of brought Heskey back.

Delph should have been given a chance. Maybe he's on the shortlist.

Rodriguez is an attacking player.  It's not exactly comparing apple with apples.

[Dante Lavelli]

He is not good enough for England.......yet!!!

Who are the nine or so current English midfielders who you feel are good enough?

I'm not disagreeing here, this is my way of counting (whilst maintaining a degree of balance - I don't think you can pick the 22 "inform" players each squad, there has to be a degree on continuity):

1. Fuck, I'm struggling already.
1. Carrick
2. Gerrard (or Lampard)
3. Wilshire
4. Milner
5. Henderson
6. llanana
7. Cleverly (there's no way he has played better recently, however if he is "the man" then the manager has to perceiver for continuity).

After that, it's much of a much-ness:  Delph / Barkley / etc

[Fasth56]

He's playing better than Cleverley and Barkley for me and on a par with Henderson.

He's playing better than Cleverley and Barkley for me and on a par with Henderson.

Nowhere near as good as Barkley.

Did you go to the Everton game? the only time he was noticed was when he was subbed.

Yeah because one game constitutes form...

Nowhere near as good as Barkley.

Did you go to the Everton game? the only time he was noticed was when he was subbed.

Yeah because one game constitutes form...

I didn't say it constitutes form, but given everyone sort of agrees that our midfield is not the strongest, then you would have thought that the latest bright young thing may have made more of an impression if he is being considered for England.

[supertom]

England has plenty of tidy players in central midfield. What it doesn't have is a player with Delphs drive, pace and energy. He could certainly add something, and given England aren't renowned for magnificent passing, his slight limitations on the ball could be forgiven. When Delph keeps it simple he's okay. Other players with a limited passing range have come and gone in the England side and often been seen as a key cog at the time they were in. Just thinking of Batty, Parker and Hargreaves off the top of my head.

Delph for me deserves a shot. We should pick on form. In that regard he gets in the squad over 2-3 of the other players, most notably Cleverly. Cleverly is fairly tidy on the ball but nowt special. He doesn't get many goals or assists, and he offers little physically either. Delph IMO, at this current time, would offer more.

He's good enough. Easily. Whether that's an indictment at Englands lack of genuine class is another matter. Delphy's a good player. I don't think he'll ever be a great player, but he is a good player.