Delph contract worry

[saunders_heroes]

I won't shed any tears to see him leave. He's had a decent year and a half, and only stands out because of the rest of the midfields full of dross.  If he thinks he can get a better pay day elsewhere, good luck to him.

I agree that he's not actually that good, but he's still our best midfielder. It's not like Lerner will provide funds to replace him with anyone better anyway, and that the worry. The problem with the club over the last 5 years is that we've sold our best players and replaced them with inferior ones. That's the problem in a nutshell.

[Holte L2]

I won't shed any tears to see him leave. He's had a decent year and a half, and only stands out because of the rest of the midfields full of dross.  If he thinks he can get a better pay day elsewhere, good luck to him.

I agree that he's not actually that good, but he's still our best midfielder. It's not like Lerner will provide funds to replace him with anyone better anyway, and that the worry. The problem with the club over the last 5 years is that we've sold our best players and replaced them with inferior ones. That's the problem in a nutshell.

Don't worry, at least we've got Joe Cole.

[john e]

I think he's a very good player and expect him to flourish in a better side
I'm actually resigned to him leaving now and have no hopes of him staying

[ciggiesnbeer]

He was publicly asking us for a new contract towards the end of last season. As far as we know he was put on hold as Randy decided whether or not the club would be sold.

I would prefer he signed now but I really don't blame him for saying "lets wait and see" himself now that Villa is in a rush.

[SoccerHQ]

He should've been offered a new deal around this time last year, around the time he scored that great goal at Southampton. He'd been playing well in the league for a good six months at that point so if we give Lambert a new 4 year deal for 3 decent games, I'd say Delph was well worth a contract offer at that point.

It's a funny one. I should be raging with Delph like I was with Downing (I understood Milner and Young going) but we're just so poor consistantly nowadays I don't blame any decent player not wanting to fight relegation battles every year particularly as he's started to play for England now.

I can see him ending up at an Everton or Liverpool, just below the top 4 but still significantly better than us.

[Steve67]

Erm, controversial I know, but do we really miss Delph? We still don't protect the defence or retiain the ball with him in the side, he doesn't create much and doesn't score lots of goals. Yet he gets talked up. Decent player but not a great player. Just shows how low our expectations have got I suppose.

[ozzjim]

I would be happy to get Holtby out of any deal in January that is for sure.

[supertom]

Erm, controversial I know, but do we really miss Delph? We still don't protect the defence or retiain the ball with him in the side, he doesn't create much and doesn't score lots of goals. Yet he gets talked up. Decent player but not a great player. Just shows how low our expectations have got I suppose.

I think we do in as much as we have no one in CM who can pick the ball up and run with it. I also think we miss an alternative option that he'd give us because TC and Westwood are essentially the same player, doing largely the same thing (which is passing it sideways).

Over the course of a season, without a suitable replacement, we'd see a difference. And yet he is just a good player and nothing that special, but sometimes he's that scruff of the neck dynamic midfielder that we really need. No one else does it and I suspect any subsequent replacement Lamberk brings in won't either.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think he's a very good player and expect him to flourish in a better side
I'm actually resigned to him leaving now and have no hopes of him staying

Same here, John. Only a new manager that would signal a massive change in direction gives me the fainted hope of him re-signing.

[Matt Collins]

I can't believe people only think he's average

Just look at the praise he gets from some top professionals (lineker, terry, Ferdinand, Murphy)

Very high passing stats, goals to his game now, can beat a man, much better on his right, really quick feet, very competitive

Bloody hell we're far too shit a side not to really miss a player like that

[Walmley_Villa]

It is probably just the money that Delph and Clarity want out but could also be the manager/staff?

[silhillvilla]

Erm, controversial I know, but do we really miss Delph? We still don't protect the defence or retiain the ball with him in the side, he doesn't create much and doesn't score lots of goals. Yet he gets talked up. Decent player but not a great player. Just shows how low our expectations have got I suppose.

100%

[supertom]

I can't believe people only think he's average

Just look at the praise he gets from some top professionals (lineker, terry, Ferdinand, Murphy)

Very high passing stats, goals to his game now, can beat a man, much better on his right, really quick feet, very competitive

Bloody hell we're far too shit a side not to really miss a player like that

Well he's youngish and English and playing in the Premiership, so it kind of comes with the territory.

I think he's good. I think he'll get a move to a top 6 club in the summer, but he'll be there 1-2 years before dropping back to a mid-table side. A pretty decent player, but he'll never be a very good player until his ball control and passing range improves. He's got a long way to prove he's added goals to his game too. He got 3-4 last season but hasn't look like scoring in this one (well...neither have the side in general). Either his goals and assists need to improve, or his defensive side needs to.

I see Delph as one of those players whose peak is to be 6th-10th player. That still makes him far and away the best midfielder we have. By a country mile frankly.

[PaulWinch again]

Good to hear Lambert continuing to spin the positive message, so Delph might leave in January.

[Mister E]

He should've been offered a new deal around this time last year, around the time he scored that great goal at Southampton. He'd been playing well in the league for a good six months at that point so if we give Lambert a new 4 year deal for 3 decent games, I'd say Delph was well worth a contract offer at that point.

It's a funny one. I should be raging with Delph like I was with Downing (I understood Milner and Young going) but we're just so poor consistantly nowadays I don't blame any decent player not wanting to fight relegation battles every year particularly as he's started to play for England now.

I can see him ending up at an Everton or Liverpool, just below the top 4 but still significantly better than us.

Yep, this is pretty much where I am on this.