The blatant reality of Aston Villa’s era of over-spending has become particularly clear in the last six months as the Villans struggle in the lower echelons of a league from which they have never been relegated. After a vital victory over West Ham on Sunday to take the Villans out of the drop zone, placing the fate of the club back in its own hands, it is evident that an appreciation of certain players’ values is being realised by Paul Lambert.
There is little question that Christian Benteke has been the claret and blue revelation of the season, scoring an impressive eleven goals in 21 starts. While this may not be the most formidable goal-scoring record in Europe, the Belgian forward’s goals comprise 44% of those scored by the side this season, making him the most valuable striker in terms of contribution to his team in the Premier League.
At just 22 years old, Benteke has taken naturally to life in the English top flight and the inevitable rumour mill has started churning whispers of interest from those much nearer the top of the table than relegation battlers, Villa. His aerial prowess, enviable strength, and athletic speed are all elements of his game that have made him, perhaps, the most fundamental player at Villa Park this season. Quite simply, when Benteke plays well, Villa pick up points.
Alongside him, Andreas Weimann has come into his own; and, while his ability in front of goal is not quite as formidable as Benteke’s, the two have forged a dynamic partnership. Lambert has recently elected to deploy the Austrian as a right-sided midfielder, and his work ethic means he is well suited to the task. Having come through the Villa youth ranks, Weimann has become a favourite among the supporters, given his illustration of utter determination to do well for the club. This is an essential aspect of what has been lacking among a number of the more experienced Villa players this term and is undoubtedly the reason for which Paul Lambert has let his most expensive players collect their wages from the bench.
The Tide Begins To Change
The tide is changing and, apparently, so is Lambert’s mentality towards those older, seemingly more insipid performers. In spite of the new, young talent that has been so heavily involved in Villa’s albeit challenging campaign, it is imperative that the Scot has now realised that there are members of the team that he was unwilling to use earlier in the season who will be key in saving the club from relegation.
Charles N’Zogbia has played a mere fourteen games for Aston Villa this season, six of which have seen him emerge from the bench. The 26-year-old, once titled “Charles Insomnia” by Joe Kinnear for his frequently lazy performances, has recently come into his own. Having arrived at Villa Park from Wigan with a £10 million price tag on his head, many were touting him to be a very good signing. Many were wrong. N’Zogbia delivered very little in his first season in claret and blue and has scarcely been employed by Lambert as a result of his independent style and often questionable effort.
The win over West Ham saw the Frenchman give a man of the match performance as he was involved in both of those pressure-relieving goals. His talent is quite evident, either from the left or the right wing, N’Zogbia’s quick feet, neat touch and considerable speed makes him a real headache for full backs when he is in the mood. His trickery to win the penalty on Sunday and his deft free-kick that rippled the top corner of the net are sights that Villa fans will hope, and need, to see more often in the coming months if the club is to maintain its Premier League status. In N’Zogbia’s last five starts, Villa have won two, drawn two, and lost one, which is a pretty decent record, relatively speaking.
One of the most talked about players in the English top flight this season has been one who has played very little football and whose perpetual ability to lengthen the transfer window has been something of a bore for English football fans. Darren Bent has made just seven starts for Villa this season, scoring two goals. For the amount of money paid for the England international, that’s rather disappointing, to say the least.
In short, Darren Bent is a valuable asset for Aston Villa Football Club. The number nine has had little to do with the Villans’ predicament so far but when he has, his impact has been positive. One only has to analyse the games in which he has played a full 90 minutes to comprehend just how important Bent is to his side. Undoubtedly Villa’s finest performance of the season came back in September, out-playing the side that often teaches other teams how to play, Swansea City, and winning 2-0. Bent scored in the next two games, which saw Villa pick up seven points from three games – their finest run of the season.
It was another two and a half months until Bent played 90 minutes, by which time the side’s form had capitulated and the relegation battle was well underway. In this game, Villa beat Norwich City 4-1 in the League Cup. While he didn’t score or get any of the assists, it would appear that Bent’s presence added a lot to the performance. That match was on the 11th of December and Bent didn’t play again until the end of January, his 45 minutes on the pitch not enough to salvage a 1-2 defeat. Again, he fell out of favour until this weekend, when he played in one of the most telling 30 minutes in Villa’s season. Again, no goals or assists for Bent, but he gave the defenders something to think about alongside Benteke and N’Zogbia, who stole the show.
A Sign Of Things To Come?
Lambert has been wise to drop a number of the players who would, at the start of the season, been the first names on the team sheet. Brad Guzan has come in and done well behind a very weak defensive line, his worth proved once again with multiple saves against the Hammers. Stephen Ireland, a player that this author has tried to see the best in on countless occasions, no longer merits a place in the side, let alone the wage he is paid for frankly futile showings.
Nevertheless, the cost of disregarding the value of Darren Bent and Charles N’Zogbia would be a great one indeed, for they have the capacity and the experience to lead Villa’s youthful outfit to the edge of the relegation zone and to keep them there. Thankfully, Lambert appears to have made note of such at just the right time.
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