Delph as a defensive CM'er?

[Rino8]

He's 5ft7, has no muscle on him at all, and he can't tackle. So the DM option is already ruled out, he's looking more like an Iniesta type player to me, the holding role might very well be part of his education.

[bickster]

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

except he's always played there at international level

[beasley14]

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.

I agree wit hthis, he can tackle he just gets a bit carried away sometimes. He won the ball back a few times against Manure. He does however have too much to offer going forward to be stuck at the back.

[villabromsgrove]

He's 5ft7, has no muscle on him at all, and he can't tackle. So the DM option is already ruled out, he's looking more like an Iniesta type player to me, the holding role might very well be part of his education.

He's 5ft 9ins tall, as tough as old boots and he loves a tackle although he doesn't yet always know when to tackle. The holding role is far too important to use as an education for someone who will continue to pick up yellow cards regularly at the moment.

The fact that you have named both him and Iniesta in the same post is however immensely positive!

[SavoMissalot]

For me he is already better than Stan could ever be. Would love to see Petrov benched for the rest of the season and then sold and see a midfield five of Young, Delph, Reo-Coker, Downing and Milner.

[Chindie]

For me he is already better than Stan could ever be. Would love to see Petrov benched for the rest of the season and then sold and see a midfield five of Young, Delph, Reo-Coker, Downing and Milner.

Barking.

[TRO]

The central midfield role is all about control.

who ever the player is.....Headless chickens are not required in the centre... they will lose you games.

I am not suggesting Fabian Delph is the above but he has a lot to learn in the respect of controlling things.

He is way behind Stillyan petrov and Reo coker in that respect.... and a confidence restored Sidwell too.

He hasn't their experience yet.

Whether he goes on to be top notch I don't know, there are some good signs, but he has a good way to go.

[villabromsgrove]

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.

Interesting post, but the players that you have mentioned are mostly world class players who were surrounded by other top class players. 4-4-2 is great to watch in a team full of quality players and we are some way from that yet, but I agree with you that Delph may be a player who has the ability to play in a great 4-4-2 team in the future.

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

He might still be a little raw and inexperienced.

However he has two things going for him.

All the talent in the world.

Fantastic attitude.

Not a bad mix to be honest. I can't see him just being a holding midfielder in terms of sitting in a midfielder, that'd be limiting his ability, as you can see when he runs with the ball, he can go past players, he strikes the ball nicely and his passing and vision is also very good.

It's hard to compare him to anyone in particular.

[villabromsgrove]

He might still be a little raw and inexperienced.

However he has two things going for him.

All the talent in the world.

Fantastic attitude.

Not a bad mix to be honest. I can't see him just being a holding midfielder in terms of sitting in a midfielder, that'd be limiting his ability, as you can see when he runs with the ball, he can go past players, he strikes the ball nicely and his passing and vision is also very good.

It's hard to compare him to anyone in particular.

A young Paul Ince maybe? (but more technical)

[Mr_Dogg]

I think villa fans have been starved of genuine quality for so long (bar the odd star here and there, and not including recent times) that when a player comes along who looks so comfortable on the ball as Delph does that they feel the need to put him in an exciting role i.e attacking mid.

However, having a player with his qualities in a more withdrawn role should allow for other players to shine more as he will hold the ball more and create things with excellent passing. That's not to say he can't show his attacking ability when the time is right in a game but having a player like the one he looks like he could become could benefit our whole team more than letting him excel alone.

[Hanky]

and a confidence restored Sidwell too.

Sidwell has been poor for about 3 years now. He has had runs in the team as well, when is this confidence coming back?

[TRO]

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.

That is an interesting post.

I have always been of the view no one player can do everything, even George Best would have struggled at defending....its about blend, just like an orchestra.

[TRO]

and a confidence restored Sidwell too.

Sidwell has been poor for about 3 years now. He has had runs in the team as well, when is this confidence coming back?

I just happen to diasgree

He has been poor recently, but when he had a run during the middle of last season he wasn't poor in fact in most games he played we had positive results.

There again he is not an easy player to defend, because he is not a pretty player.... I think he gives us presence and he marshalls the play well.

His offensive work has admittedly been disappointing, but that doesn't mean to say all of his work has been poor....There are times when we have been on the back foot his presence has been welcome to tighten things up.

I just happen to think, he not as bad as some might try to have you believe.

I would be interested to see/hear what some of the fans would have thought of Eamonn Deacy had they been around to see him.

I appreciated him for what he was,but he wasn't a Gordon Cowans, but we didn't try to compare him to one.

[Hanky]

Well I agree to disagree, yes we had a few positive results, I thought he used to hide in that midfield a bit though. I've actually been (or tried to be) positive about him in the first bit of the season but now he just doesn't look good enough.

I just happen to think, he not as bad as some might try to have you believe.

I'm not sure which way you mean this but I make a decision on the games I see not what others think.

[TRO]

Well I agree to disagree, yes we had a few positive results, I thought he used to hide in that midfield a bit though. I've actually been (or tried to be) positive about him in the first bit of the season but now he just doesn't look good enough.

I just happen to think, he not as bad as some might try to have you believe.

I'm not sure which way you mean this but I make a decision on the games I see not what others think.

well I've seen some of the favoured players have some poor games recently too, but there is a slow reaction to say so.

Sidwell has been playing poorly, but he hasn't always.... thats my view.

Milner has been playing well, but he hasn't always, thats my view too.

just depends which bit you want to comment on.

[Archie]

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?

Absolutely agree, if we play 4-3-3 instead of 4-4-2 we earn a man (due to the lack of consistencvy of either Carew or Heskey) and we improve our quality with Fabian, who needs a DCM behind me. But a midfield with three central midfielders is similar to the current arsenal formation, with Song (DCM), Fabregas and Diaby or Ramsey.

[bickster]

c'mon is it that hard to keep to the actual topic? you know Delph, replacement of Petrov ...............i.e. not Milner & Sidwell, again we have a central midfield topic that these discussions can clearly take place in

[TRO]

c'mon is it that hard to keep to the actual topic? you know Delph, replacement of Petrov ...............i.e. not Milner & Sidwell, again we have a central midfield topic that these discussions can clearly take place in

sorry, its easy to get sucked in.

[paddy]

If we want defensive midfielders we should buy them, not convert attacking midfielders into them like we have with Stan (as good as I think he is) and Delph. I think he'd do ok in a defensive role but it would be wasting him somewhat. He'd also pick up a huge amount of bookings.