What Do Villa Need To Beat Off Our Competitors?

As we're in the off-season, and at present there's little activity in the transfer market that we know about, I thought I'd have a think about the player or players that we really need to take us forward, maybe even into one of those much-vaunted top-4 places!

I'll also have a look at our competitors, and where I think they are, and how they've improved (or not) against last season.

Obviously a lot will hinge on the situation with James Milner, but for the purposes of this article, I'm going to assume he'll he here for one more season. Taking a look at the squad as it stands, there are one or two weaker areas that stand out, but by-and-large, we have a good squad of players.

Friedel is probably likely to be in goal for at least 1 further season, and he's proved that he has a steady pair of hands, even at the ripe old age of whatever he is now 39? The defence also probably doesn't need too much doing with it, and (Cuellar at right back notwithstanding) is very tidy indeed.

The next piece in the jigsaw for me is the rest of the team lol. I say 'piece' however, because I think we have the right players, but we're playing a system that doesn't really work. I would personally play a 3 man midfield, with Petrov as the holding player, and Milner & Downing/Delph as the attacking midfielders. I would then play Ash as wide left (he's better on the left), and buy a quality right winger to supplement Ash on the right. I would then have either Gabby or Carew as the lone striker.

SO, to sum up, I believe what we really need is a quality right winger. *flame suit on*

As for our opposition, how do they currently stack up?

The only team who have been active as far as I can see to this point is Ci£y, who have signed David Silva for a no-doubt hefty price.

Liverpool I don`t believe will progress much, especially given it now seems Torres may well miss the start of the campaign.

I believe Everton will be up there fighting too, along with ourselves and Tottenham.

I think the new season will be very interesting, and hopefully we can improve on our last season performance, and get a bit further in Europe this time too, even if it's only to blood in some of our younger players!!

Here's to an interesting season, with hopefully some exciting activity in the transfer window, and an exciting right winger =)

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