2015/16 Premier League team preview: Aston Villa

The appointment of Tim Sherwood seemed to breath new life into Aston Villa in 2015, but despite avoiding relegation with ease, the previous campaign finished with a whimper, paving the way for a summer of substantial change at Villa Park.

Villa’s Wembley date was ruined as they succumbed to a rampant Arsenal in the FA Cup final, before the club lost star center-forward Christian Benteke and talismanic midfield man Fabian Delph, eventually, to Liverpool and Manchester City respectively. Ron Vlaar also left the club on a free transfer. Needless to say, this rebuilding job will be the biggest challenge in Sherwood’s short career as a manager.

On paper, he’s done a pretty good job so far. While no replacement for Benteke has been drafted in at the time of writing—although a deal for Emmanuel Adebayor looks imminent—the addition of Idrissa Gueye should abate fears about Delph’s departure. Jordan Ayew is a wide player who should add an incisive edge to the Villains’ forward forays, as will Jordan Amavi from left-back. The signing of Micah Richards will also bring some much-needed depth to defensive areas.

Sherwood is renowned as a tremendous motivator and a man who can uplift a team with his natural charisma. But there were worrying signs in the latter stages of last season that once the spark fizzles out, there may not be much left in his make-up. With so much going on at the club this summer, this season will be the first big indicator of Sherwood’s managerial pedigree.

Best XI

Reasons to be Positive

Although the departures of the club’s two best players will be galling for Villa supporters, Sherwood has made some savvy acquisitions ahead of the new season. Richards and Scott Sinclair are both experienced Premier League players, while the captures of Gueye, Amavi and Ayew will excite a fanbase that are approaching this season with caution.

Jack Grealish is a young player who is primed to take on more responsibility in 2015-16 too. The Villa youngster really caught the eye when integrated into the first team last season and possesses the kind of creativity that’ll bring the best out of reassembled forward line. With Delph gone and Tom Cleverley opting to join Everton, expect Sherwood to give Grealish added freedom in a system that looks likely to be based on counter-attacking.

Reason to be Negative

Losing one key player is tough to negotiate for any side, but to lose three in the same summer poses Sherwood with a major problem. To replace Vlaar’s commanding influence, Delph’s industry in the middle of the park and Benteke’s rounded, rumbustious brand of center-forward play will be extremely difficult, especially given how well they adapted to the principles of the new boss last season.

Villa have spent to try and negate the detrimental effect of these players, but rarely do we see everything immediately align after a major influx of incoming talent. If Sherwood does struggle to get his players going in the early weeks of the season, after selling their two prize assets and losing another, you wonder just how long it’ll take before angst engulfs the Midlands club.

Key Player – Idrissa Gueye

Replicating the influence of Delph will be tough for Gueye, but the multifaceted midfielder seems to have all the tools to step into the heart of this side and knit things together. The Senegal international has taken his game on in recent seasons and like Delph, has evolved from an orthodox holding player into someone who can also influence matches further up the field.

After blossoming at Lille, Gueye is a young man that looks ready for the next step in what should be a prosperous career. His game seems tailor-made for Premier League football and the 25-year-old should ensure the Villa Park crowd aren’t lamenting the departure of Delph for too long.

Prediction – 15th

Although last season’s run-in lifted the spirits of the Villa supporters, looking ahead, the main aim for this team should be to avoid relegation. If they can do so after a summer of seismic shifts, then Sherwood and his players deserve a major amount of credit.

The squad has enough to do so, too. It may take a while for new faces from foreign leagues to acclimatize with the Premier League and their new team-mates, but given time, the pieces are in place to assemble a capable and captivating XI. Sherwood patience and support if that’s to be the case, though.

Expert Opinion – Sam Tighe (Bleacher Report)

It’s near-impossible to gauge where Villa stand at present time; a tumultuous summer has left a series of question marks over who starts, who’s coming in and who’s still yet to leave. The revamp was forced on Tim Sherwood, but Fabian Delph’s departure—added to Christian Benteke’s exit and Ron Vlaar’s release—has removed the spine of the team, making the rebuilding job even more strenuous.

Granted, it wasn’t a very good team; they’ve struggled in three consecutive seasons and only just scraped clear of relegation, so perhaps shedding the spine brings cause of freshness and optimism. Villa have decided to shop almost entirely in France these past 60 days, with Jordan Ayew, Jordan Amavi, Idrissa Gueye and Jordan Veretout signed, Emmanuel Adebayor brought in on loan and Scott Sinclair retained permanently.

With clubs like West Ham, Newcastle and Swansea all making great forward strides, the fear is that despite the fact Villa have undoubtedly bought quality, the seismic change within the squad will be too drastic. If the players settle quickly the club should be fine, but if the formation, the playing style and XI are all still up in the air three weeks in, it promises to be another long season.

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