Libor Kozak, that’s who. He wasn’t on anyone’s radar around here, I can tell you, but apparently Lambert & Co. have had their eyes on him. Shame his name doesn’t rhyme with ‘Shaft’, as that would be fantastic to hear echoing round the Holte.
Regardless, it’s interesting, seeing how we’ve been to Spain, Bulgaria/Poland, Denmark, and now Italy this summer (and back to Holland), after initially shopping in Crewe, Sheffield, and Belgium. Someone at Villa Park has heard about a landmass just the other side of the Channel, apparently, and is taking a growing interest.
But what does this mean for Jordan Bowery? Is that shirt I bought with his name on it now just a curiosity? Could I really get it that wrong?
Some will say all this just leaves us with slightly more expensive players who still aren’t good enough. Maybe that’s true. But they’ve given everyone they’ve played a damn good game so far. I’ve seen far worse in claret and blue recently coming from bigger names and bigger paychecks.
I think Villa are playing the market well, still living within their means, and creating a default 25-man roster that’s young and athletic. It’s a broad, wide floor, and it needed to be put in. You can build on this. And I think we will.
Kozak might not get anyone’s heart racing, but it’s a sensible signing. Backup, understudy, change of pace…Who knows what role he’ll stake out for himself. But it means that Villa have a little more depth up front, some insurance if nothing else.
Was this the most pressing issue? Perhaps it was, in the end. Although we were all thinking an attacking midfielder was our biggest need, we did all recognize that we have a lot of eggs in that Benteke basket.
And now we actually have height in our side, three forwards well over six feet. That’s something that might come in handy chasing a goal. We also might be able to rotate a little and reduce our predictability. We still have the quickness with Gabby and Andi.
Plus, we’ve now shipped out Collins, Dunne, Ireland, Bent, Bannan, and Warnock, and a couple other luminaries I might be forgetting. Lambert is getting things done.
But What About That AM?!
Texas asked yesterday about whether Delph could turn into this player, whether Lambert was holding back because he sees that in him. Given the way he’s come on, it’s not a bad question. I really have no idea what Delph’s ceiling is, but I think it’s fair to say he probably hasn’t reached it yet.
Will it be enough if and/or when he does?
I think Lambert has been shopping, and the right player wasn’t there for him this time around. He’ll continue to shop, and he’ll continue to upgrade. In the meantime, Delph is showing the desire, the work, the confidence and the touch of quality we’d hoped to see before his injury-interrupted career had him looking like a casualty. I really liked the Rotherham goal, making the run and taking the chance. That has to be big for him.
There’s some credit due both the player and the manager. Lambert seems content to stick by him for now. Will he show the silky bits and become something more?
Along with KEA and Westwood, it’s not a bad central three. They can play rings around lower division sides, and while that seems to damn with faint praise, it’s been a while since we played rings around anyone. Tonev, Bacuna, Helenius and Sylla will be pushing for time, but don’t have to impress immediately, and likewise Gary Gardner will be in the frame. This is how you want to do things when you’re rebuilding.
Speaking of Gardner, though, those wanting to see more of him need to remember that he really has to be brought along gently. Two ACLs…That’s seriously tough to come back from. His return could be every bit as tortuous and frustrating as Delph’s. And might well never happen.
For the same reasons, my main concern with Delph will be his ongoing durability. I’ve been pretty impressed with how much he put himself about in those first three games. That was a helluva lot of work, stress and torque on his joints, and he never shied away from it.
So that’s it, the window’s finally closed, the squad set till January. For better or worse, these are your 2013 Villans. And I’m very much looking forward to the next couple rounds.
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