So I robbed the title of a Villa fanzine and never really blog about them but I am a season ticket holder and it is the time to get thinking as a Villa fan. My Football Manager 14 cap on and what I would like to see, and think will happen at Villa Park.
First we have 1 week left and Wigan have to beat Arsenal (away), Sunderland beat Spurs (away) and we then have to lose to Wigan to go down. We should be ok, although Benteke showed that he is human and is young with his red card against Chelsea. He cost s the game and created an outside chance that he will have cost us the season that he did a huge job at saving.
If we do stay up the summer will be dictated by who stay and who goes. We have seen Stan Petrov go, and Richard Dunne who has been around training for a few months appears to be next. I imagine Shay will graciously move on, some one will give him a game in the Prremiership I'm sure, Wigan, Norwich and Southampton could be takers or if any of the youngsters like Krul or Begovic move he would be a great interim. This would mark the end of O'Neill's big money boys.
You look at the like of Ireland, who will be available if anyone who would buy him, although it would be a gamble for any takers. The 8m value he had in the part exchange now a distant dream, and the benfit from moving him on would only be salary and dressing room harmony.
I think the final for sale character is Darren Bent. Now I wouldn't sell him, but he didn't want to sit on the bench for a top 6 Tottenham team so a bottom 6 team, behind a 21 year old and I think he'll be going. For a slice of the £18+ deal. It is a shame as he proved potent at Villa, but a season on the bench and people will smell a deal. If West Ham don't sign Carroll he could rock up there. Fulham, Everton, and Stoke could also be his destination.
Others who could go are McLeish's last stand Holman, who has done decent in sporadic sub appearances, N'zogbia, who despite being resurgent still struggles to remain first team, Albrighton who lacks the work ethic for a Lambert team in my opinion. I fear for Bannan, who has never quite lived up to the hype. With Given, Dunne, Petrov, Bent and Ireland represent about 250k a week, and the young lads who kept us up will see a serious pay day i'm sure.
The people we don't sell is obviously more important. Lowton, Weimann and Benteke have all been linked away. I think the 3 would be mad to move. Guaranteed first team football at a team with lower expectations is a great way to develop your trade. But keeping these 3 from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs respectively is as big as any new signings. If we stay up I think they will stay.
After that we start building and the Lambert approach is to buy young. We remain weak at the back with 3 recognised centre halves in Baker, Clark and Vlaar I think this may be first port of call. To me Clark is a better holding midfielder than defender and some new blood will help solid us up in the area we have definately been weakest. Personally I think Scharner may be a shout from Wigan if they do drop, but the youth approach may lead us to a younger player from the Championship. Tom Lees at Leeds could be a punt, although I would favour a more mature head. Lescott is the dream, he would calm a yound team and improve our poor defensive set pieces single handedly, but I may be getting carried away.
At full back we have Lowton, and then the less concrete Stevens, Bennet, Lichaj. We have trialled Clark and Baker at left back Each of these has their merits and weaknesses but I think a left back may be on the cards. Creswell was Lambert's first choice and he may go back for him. I would have a look at Danny Rose if he was available, he would be very exciting. But that depends on Tottenham.
In midfield we hold with Westwood, Delph, Sylla, Bannan, El Ahmadi and a returning Gardner. I think KEA has more to give and hope we can see it but if Gardner is going to crack it I think and hope next year will be his time. A goal scoring midfielder would add so much to Lambert's approach and youth football say he could be the guy. Westwood, Delph and Sylla become more acomplished in each close season performance. Signing in this area I think is very unlikely, but selling Bannan become even more possible with the strength of these other 5 plus the potential in players like Carruthers could be due a look in too. Especially in the more aggressive shape he plays when he uses a midfielder in the hole.
He does opt for a 3 up top approach with strikers on the wing. The athleticism of Gabby and work rate of Weimann lend them perfectly to this. But the signing of Dawkins proved he saw a need to back this up. N'Zogbia could do this and the manager obviously fancies Bowery, but with these guys representing out strikers and in N'Zogbia's case in the hole midfielder's too, I think another face may be required. Again Carruthers and potentially Burke who I like the look of could do a job here. But maybe Callum McMannaman if Wigan go down could be a move. If Scott Sinclair becomes available I would be straight onto that. Even matching the 8m Man City paid, he could be shades of Gabby.
Up top we have Benteke and if he stays we will be a threat. Power, pace, control and a coolness in front of goal. Gabby and Weimann have contributed from the wings, but I fear for Weimann's ability to control play up top alone. Bowery definitely has a physical element, and think he may be a great prospect. Would love to see him get a goal, possibly against Wigan in the big mans absence. A signing here may be greedy, and I think someone like Sinclair would be much more likely, but if Lambert has another Benteke in line no one would say no to that.
Things will look up at Villa next year, the future is definately bright and we have potential to burn.
As long as the unlikely doesn't happen this week obviously.
