barry'sboots Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 A number of posters seem to view Delph as a long term replacement for Stan. I just don't see it. He is quite lightweight and, to use the old Paul Scholes analogy, couldn't tackle a fish supper (probably a bit strong but gets my point across). I see him playing much farther forward and needing a strong holding midfielder behind him. He probably necessitates a three man CM for me: ---------------- DCM ----------------- --- Jimmy ----------------- Delph --- For me, Fabian would sit alongside the DCM and be our "quarterback" with Jimmy playing in Steven Gerard/marauding way and getting closer to the striker. To play him and Jimmy together would be, for me, similar in style to Arsenal's two man midfield of last year - Fabregas and Denilson for example - and would be too easily overrun by the better sides? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deaceydeaceyaggro Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 None of them. He's got a habit of giving the ball away in dangerous areas, and when he hasn't got the ball he can give away free kicks in those same areas. I think he's gonna become a fine player, but at the moment he seems a touch too raw for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davies4England Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 He's box to box for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheltenham_villa Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 He'd spend half the season suspended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 A no on the defensive mid for me. Got a few mates who support dirty Leeds, and they all said he can't tackle for toffee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted February 20, 2010 VT Supporter Share Posted February 20, 2010 I think he's likely to play deep, but not really as a DM. MOre box to box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 The jury's still out for me. Not seen much of him tbh so my opinion's slightly invalid. For me he shows signs of brilliance (pass to Milner in Palace game springs to mind). He looks comfortable on the ball but i dont think hel ever be a Mr reliable, so definately a more attack minded player for me. Doesn't seem to do a lot in games, but like is said-not seen enough and my mate whos a season ticket holder seems to rate him and hes usually pretty spot on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanky Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Delph can tackle but gets to carried away. It was his tackle that set up our attack for the goal against Manure. I don't agree with him as a DM though, more to offer going forward than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 more Box to box, although when he's older I think he'll be able to play basically anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salsa Party Animal Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Think he cold be our Bryan Robson over long term. But not defensive midfielder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.I.C.O. Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 He needs to bulk up way, way more to make that position his. I dont see him as a defensive midfielder, he is too lightweight and would be better used as an attacking player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 maybe in 6-7 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFirstMan Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 He can't tackle to save his life, no way will he be a defensive midfielder, it would be a waste of his pace, energy and shooting ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Box to box for me as well. He would need to bulk up some more being a DM and improve his timing tackling. Otherwise he will give away a load of free kicks in some important areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2003 Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 He's box to box for me. Same. Needs to learn to tackle, but listening to interviews he knows that! I don't really go in for the 'holding' midfield thing. It's all been invented from Makelele for Real. He had to play that role because Figo, Zidane and Raul and co were never going to track back. Arrigo Sacchi's book is very interesting on this - he talks about how that is reactionary; you need to do it in certain situations, but pigeonholing someone in like that to cover for others doesn't necessarily achieve the supreme goal of tactics - to make EVERY player play above his natural level. I don't go as far as Sacchi - 'Which player in a football team is the playmaker? Whoever has the ball' - but all the best 4-4-2 teams I've ever seen have had two central midfielders who both got forward and back; Keane and Scholes (Scholes can't tackle but he never used to stop working, and people who think Keane was defensive don't understand football); Vieira and Petit etc. The important thing is to find midfielders who can do that. I think Delph will develop into one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted February 20, 2010 VT Supporter Share Posted February 20, 2010 The DM role was around years before Makalele. Anyway, I think we'll most likely see Delph become a box to box player comfortable going forward but also getting stuck in on the back foot. To be honest I think eventually we might see our CM position be a bit like Lampard and Essien, Milner being our Fwank and Delph our Essien. Not as good obviously and not quite the same but I couldn't think of a better analogy. Essien is avery complete midfielder, he does the defensive role well but is threatening going forwars too, and I think Delph will be similar for us, a bit less defensive minded but capable all the same. He won't be a genuine DM, his skills don't suit the role, but he will be Stans replacement. Just a replacement doing a different role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philosopher Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 He doesn't have the positioning to play defensive midfield, and it takes a lot of discipline. I do believe he can play there once he has a a few seasons in the prem, but it won't be his best position. I see him as a box to box player that will become a deep lying playmaker in his later years. He is probably capable of playing any type of central midfield role, which is why I see him as a box to box player. The boy has good timing in the challenge as well as being very agressive in the tackle, but he needs to improve his technique in the tackle. Also he should learn from petrov, how to make an innocuous foul when beaten, as he always just flies in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 A number of posters seem to view Delph as a long term replacement for Stan. I just don't see it. He is quite lightweight and, to use the old Paul Scholes analogy, couldn't tackle a fish supper (probably a bit strong but gets my point across). I see him playing much farther forward and needing a strong holding midfielder behind him. He probably necessitates a three man CM for me: ---------------- DCM ----------------- --- Jimmy ----------------- Delph --- For me, Fabian would sit alongside the DCM and be our "quarterback" with Jimmy playing in Steven Gerard/marauding way and getting closer to the striker. To play him and Jimmy together would be, for me, similar in style to Arsenal's two man midfield of last year - Fabregas and Denilson for example - and would be too easily overrun by the better sides? agree with all of that Mr Boots. Went for option 3. I think he has more to offer going forward than he does defensively. Him, Milly and Stan constitute a very good CM 3 IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Delph is going to be exceptional. He has a talent that Villa fans are going to enjoy over the next few seasons. You don't make a player a DM just because he loves a tackle. You need the experience to read a game as a DM which he obviously hasn't got at his tender age. He will score goals for us imo, which means that he needs the freedom to attack. When Delph is ten years older then he can drop back and kick the opposition, but not now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 He won't be a genuine DM, his skills don't suit the role nor did stans based on his time at celtic where he was very much an attacking midfielder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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